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From  :i  photograph  taken  July,  1887. 


JOHNSON'S 

Journey  Around  the  World. 


Fifty  Thousand  Miles  of  Travel,  from  the  Golden  Gate  to 

the  Golden  Gate.     Interesting  Observations  in 

Various  Countries  of  Europe. 


TWICE    ACROSS    THE   ALPS. 


Sights  in  Egypt,  India,  Africa,  New  Zealand  and  the 
Sandwich  Islands. 


Six  Thousand  Miles  Through  Australia. 


Daring  Adventures  of  a  Lone  White  Man  among  the  Natives  in 

the  Interior  of  Ceylon,  China  and  Japan,     Twelve 

Times  Across  the  Western  Continent,  with 

a  Description  of  all  the  Various 

Routes  and  Sights  of 

Interest. 


BY    OSMUN    JOHNSON. 

SOLD   BY   SUBSCRIPTION. 

Chicago. 

18L7. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1887,  by  Osmun  Johnson,  in  the 
office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington,  D.  C. 


Printers,  Publishers  and   Engravers, 
Chicago. 


PREFACE. 


During  thirty  years'  residence  in  California, 
I  have  led  a  busy  life,  enduring  much  hard  toil 
and  the  many  privations  incident  to  life  in  the 
gold  mines  in  early  days.  I  have  pursued  many 
different  avocations:  mind  and  body  have  been 
in  constant  motion.  After  such  an  exciting  career 
I  resolved  to  take  a  rest,  and  have  a  change  of 
scene  ;  to  travel  abroad,  and  visit  all  of  the  prin- 
cipal places  of  note  ;  to  traverse  the  ocean,  and  to 
feast  my  eyes  and  mind  upon  the  wonders  of  the 
Old  World.  For  the  last  twenty  years  I  have  had 
an  increasing  desire  to  take  a  spin  around  the  ball. 
I  felt  it  to  be  the  greatest  gift  and  treat  that  1 
could  bestow  upon  myself,  and  finally  determined 
to  put  my  ambitious  desire  into  execution.  So  I 
hastily  prepared  to  go,  and  made  arrangements  to 
remain  as  long  as  I  should  find  enjoyment  among 
an  unknown  people  in  unknown  lands.  Now,  what 
I  rely  on  to  make  this  simple  narrative  interesting 
is  not  the  talent  or  literary  training  that  I  have 
had,  but  my  ability  to  present,  in  an  original  man- 
ner, the  information  obtained,  not  only  from  guides 
and  interpreters,    but   from  my   own    observation. 

(3) 


4  Preface. 

During  my  travels  I  kept  a  daily  record  of  events 

and  incidents  connected  with  my  tour  around  the 

world.     And  in  writing-  an  account  of  this  extended 

tour,  brief  mention  will  be  made  of  my  adventures 

on  this  continent,  across  which  I  have  made  twelve 

different  trips  during  the  last  thirty  years;  I  shall 

state  the  years   the    journeys  were  made    in,  the 

different    routes    traveled,    the    distance,    and   the 

principal  points  of  interest  on  each  one.     As  this 

narrative   is  to  be  filled   up  with    mixed  material, 

and  possibly   presented   in  a  somewhat  rambling 

manner,   the  writer    asks    the    indulgence   of    the 

reader,  as  he  makes  this  his  first  venture  in  the 

new  and  untried  field  of  literature,  remembering 

always    that    a   wide    difference    frequently    exists 

between  the  farmer  and  the  educated  traveler,  the 

plowshare  and  the  pen. 

Osmun  Johnson. 

Modesto,  Cal.,  August  5,  1887. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

CHAPT.  I.— The  United  States 9 

San  Francisco — The  Columbia — Yellowstone  Park — Dakota — 
Minneapolis  to  New  York  City — Funeral  of  General  Grant — 
Other  Journeys  over  the  Western  Continent — Sierras — The  Mor- 
mons— The  Missouri — Indian  Attack — Big  Trees  and  Yosemite — 
Los  Angeles — Steamboat  Racing  on  the  Mississippi — Niagara — 
The  St.  Lawrence — Walker  Expedition  against  Nicaragua. 

CHAPT.  II. — The  Atlantic  and  the  British  Isles...     56 
Crossing  the   Atlantic — Queenstown — Dublin — Liverpool — Lon- 
don— Glasgow — The  Clyde — English  Railway  System. 

CHAPT.  III. — France,  Switzerland  and  Austria...     77 
Dover  to  Calais — Paris — The  Louvre — Tomb  of  Napoleon — Fu- 
neral of  Admiral  Courbet — First  Crossing  of  the  Alps — Berne — 
Lake  Constance — Bavaria — Yienna — On  the  Danube. 

CHAPT.  IV. — Germany  and  Denmark 102 

Bohemia  —  Saxony — Dresden  —  Berlin — Wiirtemberg —  Emperor 
Wilhelm — Hamburg — Bremen — Copenhagen — Czar  of  Russia. 

CHAPT.  V. — Sweden,  The  Baltic  and  Russia 120 

Malmo — Stockholm — Inland  Lakes — The  Baltic — St.  Petersburg. 

CHAPT.  VI.— Norway 126 

Trolhatta  Fall — Frederickstad — Fjeldes,  Fosses  and  Fiords — Iron 
Mines  and  Fisheries — Christiania — Prince  of  Wales — Skager 
Rack — The  Kilhorn — Hardanger  Fiord — Drammen  —  Skien — 
Satra  Life — Kragero — The  Cariole — Gjerestad — Kindness  and 
Hospitality — The  Bryllip — RisOr — Christiansand — Ship-building. 

CHAPT.  VII. — Across  the  North  Sea,  Germany  and 

the  Alps 143 

Sea-Sickness — The  Elbe —  Hamburg  —  Frankfort-on-the-Main — ■ 
Heidelberg — Carlsruhe— Baden-Baden — Stuttgart — The  Rhine — 
Second  Crossing  of  the  Alps — St.  Gothard  Tunnel — Lake  Lucerne. 

CHAPT.  VIII. — Italy,  Gibraltar  and  Malta 154 

Milan — Venice — Verona — Bologna — Florence — Rome — Naples — 
Vesuvius — Pompeii — Excursion  to  Gibraltar — Malta — Brindisi. 

CHAPT.  IX. — The  Mediterranean,  Egypt,  Red  Sea 

and  Arabian  Sea 185 

Greece — Alexandria  —  Cairo  —  Pyramids — Great  Desert  —  Nile — 
Suez  Canal — Red  Sea — Sinai — Aden — Cape  Guardafui — Socotra. 

(5) 


6  Contents. 

CHAPT.  X.— Ceylon  and  India 204 

Colombo — The  Singhalese — Kandy — Hill  Country  and  Scenery 
of  Interior — Buddhists — Madras — Mohammedans — Brahmans — 
Calcutta — Custom  House — The  Hugh — Ganges — Bay  of  Bengal. 

CHAPT.  XI. — The  Voyage  Over  the  Indian  Ocean..    225 

The  Equator — Officers  and  Passengers  Promenading  Barefooted — 
Lunches — Jolly  Passengers — Instructive  Conversation. 

CHAPT.  XII.— Australia 228 

Cape  Leeuwin — Albany — Adelaide — Great  Australian  Bight — 
Melbourne — -The  Interior — Vast  Resources — Extensive  Coal  De- 
posits— Sydney — Zigzag  Railways  of  the  Blue  Mountains. 

CHAPT.  XIII.— New    Zealand 251 

Captain  Cook — Products — Gold — Scenery — Curious  Birds — Rail- 
ways— The  Maori — Wellington — Fine  Climate — Fertile  Soil. 

CHAPT.  XIV.— The  Australian  Coast 260 

Coast  Towns — Great  Barrier  Reef — Coral  Sea — Torres  Strait — 
Pearl  Fishing — Gulf  of  Carpentaria — Tropic  Heat — Port  Darwin. 

CHAPT.  XV.  —  Philippine    Islands   and    China    Sea 

to  Hong-Kong 275 

Arafura  Sea — Burning  Mountain — Borneo — Celebes  Sea — Philip- 
pines— Java — Singapore — The  China  Sea— The  Typhoon. 

CHAPT.  XVI. — China,  from  Hong-Kong  to  Canton.    285 
Hong-Kong  —  Victoria  Peak  —  Macao  —  Canton  —  Pagodas  and 
Temples — Whampoa — Marco  Polo — Interior — Boat  Population. 

CHAPT.  XVII. — Chinese  Coast  and  Shanghai 319 

Chinese  Fishing  Fleets — Swatow — Foochow — Ningpo — Amoy — 
Shanghai — The  Yang-tse-kiang — Mixed  Population. 

CHAPT.  XVIII.— The  Yellow  Sea,  and    Coast  and 

Coast  Towns  of  Japan 327 

Nagasaki — Women  Stevedores — Papenberg  Island — Progressive- 
ness  of  the  Japanese — Kobe — Hiogo — Neatness  and  Thrift — 
Theatres — Osaka — Dress — The  Price  of  a  Wife — Kioto — Temples 
— National  Customs — Shinto  Sect  and  Buddhists — Fusiyama. 

CHAPT.  XIX.— The  Interior  of  Japan 354 

Yokohama — The  Jinrikishia —  Sedan  Chair  —  Tokio  —  Mikado's 
Palace — Bathing — Nikko — Kamakura — Great  Resources — Many 
Converts  to  Christianity — Politeness  and  Kindness  of  the  People. 

CHAPT.  XX. — Homeward  Bound  Across  the  Pacific, 

via  Honolulu,  to  San  Francisco 383 

On  the  Steamer  City  of  Peking — Honolulu — The  Sugar  King — 
Explosion  on  the  Mariposa- — Return  Through  the  Golden  Gate. 

Appendix 395 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE 

Portrait  of  Author Frontispiece 

California  Street,  San  Francisco 13 

The  Palmer  House 2S 

The  Brooklyn  Bridge 31 

Temple  and  Tabernacle,  Salt  Lake  City 36 

View  in  Denver 39 

The  New  Bridge  at  Niagara,  with  the  Falls  in  the  Distance.  52 

Dublin  from  the  Liffey : 60 

The  Prince  of  Wales  and  Family 63 

London,  with  St.  Paul's  in  the  Distance 66 

The  Tower  of  London 68 

Westminster  Abbey 71 

The  Old  University  of  Glasgow 73 

Paris 80 

The  Palace  of  the  Luxembourg 83 

Place  de  la  Concorde 85 

Berlin 104 

The  Siegessaule,  in  Berlin 107 

Emperor  Wilhelm no 

The  Royal  Palace,  Stockholm 123 

Christi  ania 129 

Milan  Cathedral 155 

The  City  in  the  Sea 158 

St.  Peter's  at  Rome 167 

Naples  and  Mount  Vesuvius 174 

The  Town  and  Rock  of  Gibp^altar 180 

The  City  of  Cairo 191 

Melbourne,  the  Capital  of  Victoria 234 

(7) 


8  Illustrations, 

Chinese  Pagoda 299 

Japanese  Woman  Spinning  Silk 330 

Japanese  Women  Ornamenting  the  Hair 341 

Riding  in  a  Sedan  Chair  in  the  Interior  of  Japan 34S 

Mr.  Johnson  in  Japanese  Costume,  with  Fusiyama  for  a  Back- 
ground    351 

Japanese  Ladies  Bathing 358 

Dining  in  Native  Style 367 

Mr.  Johnson  in  the  Jinrikishia,  the  Common  Mode  of  Travel 

in  Japan 372 

Bronze  Image  of  Buddha 374 

The  Cliff  House  and  Seal  Rocks 392 


Johnson's  Journey  Around  the  World. 


CHAPTER    I. 

THE    UNITED    STATES. 

Before  starting  on  such  a  long  and  perilous  jour- 
ney, it  became  a  matter  of  great  importance  to 
select  to  advantage  the  best  routes  of  travel  o'er 
land  and  sea  ;  to  visit  the  frigid  regions  in  Europe 
during  the  warmest  season  of  the  year,  so  as  to 
avoid  the  oppressive  cold  ;  to  travel  in  the  tropical 
climes  of  Asia  and  Africa  during  that  portion  of 
the  year  when  the  terrific  heat  of  the  sun's  rays 
would  be  the  least  oppressive,  and  to  avoid  the 
dangerous  monsoons  and  typhoons  that  prevail  at 
cei  tain  seasons  of  the  year.  Many  travelers  had 
gone  before  me,  and  many  had  never  returned, 
and,  keeping  this  fact  in  view,  I  endeavored  to  so 
shape  my  journey  as  to  avoid  all  of  the  dan- 
gers incident  to  such  a  trip.  I  had  traveled  over 
the  various  routes  on  this  continent  before  starting 
on  this  tour,  except  by  way  of  the  Northern 
Pacific  Railway;  and,  as  this  route  traversed  a 
country  which  I  had  never  seen,  I  decided  to  take 
it,  and  thus  avail  myself  of  an  opportunity  to 
view  the  grand  and  picturesque  scenery  on  the 
Columbia  River,  the  Cascade  Mountains  in  Oregon, 

(9) 


10  Around  the  World. 

the  Yellowstone,  the  great  National  Park,  the  Gey- 
sers, etc.  So  I  left  instructions  in  regand  to  my 
business  affairs,  and  started  out  on  my  rambles, 
promising  myself  to  take  in  all  that  was  worth 
seeing  in  Europe  and  the  Orient. 

Before  beginning  to  give  a  description  of  the 
varied  scenes  I  witnessed  in  my  travels,  the  pan- 
orama of  faces,  skies,  cities,  mountain,  valley  and 
desert,  I  am  going  to  give  a  brief  description  of 
my  home  in  the  once  far-off  West.  I  started  from 
Modesto,  a  thriving,  enterprising  little  city  situ- 
ated in  the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  the  great  wheat 
region  of  California.  This  beautiful  little  place 
of  between  three  and  four  thousand  inhabitants  is 
exceedingly  well  located  in  the  centre  of  a  grain- 
growing  country.  It  is  the  county  seat  of  Stanis- 
laus County, — has  many  fine  and  substantial  build- 
ings, both  business  and  private;  has  the  advanta- 
ges of  a  healthful  climate,  and  nearness  to  all  the 
large  commercial  centres  of  the  State  ;  has  splen- 
did schools  and  many  churches.  So,  after  bidding 
adieu  to  my  many  friends  at  this  place,  I  boarded 
the  train,  and  was  soon  speeding  away  over  the 
plains.  The  chief  attraction  on  this  line  was  the 
wheat  fields  dotted  with  bags  filled  with  grain 
awaiting  transportation, — for  we  of  this  valley  can 
raise  grain  enough  to  feed  the  hungry  at  home  and 
abroad  and  have  an  abundance  to  spare.  Every- 
where could  be  seen  the  indications  of  a  bounti- 


Port  Costa — Oakland.  11 

ful  harvest,  the  reward  which  always  rejoices  the 
heart  of  the  tiller  of  the  soil. 

The  first  point  of  interest  on  this  route  is  Port 
Costa,  on  San  Francisco  Bay.  It  is  one  of  the 
greatest  wheat  depots  in  the  State,  and  has  an 
immense  warehouse  capacity.  Here  the  farmer  of 
a  speculating  turn  of  mind  stores  his  wheat,  and 
takes  chances  on  the  rise  and  fall  of  the  market. 
The  Star  Mills,  the  largest  flouring  mills  in  Califor- 
nia, are  located  near  here,  and  some  of  the  largest 
ocean  vessels  afloat  can  always  be  seen  at  the 
wharves  loading  the  precious  cargo.  At  Port  Costa 
there  is  also  a  railway  ferry  boat  of  enormous  size 
which  is  used  in  transporting  overland  passenger 
trains  across  the  straits  to  the  Benicia  side. 

From  here  I  journeyed  on  to  Oakland,  the  city 
of  churches,  seminaries,  and  colleges  of  learning, 
and,  so  far  as  piety  and  good  morals  are  con- 
cerned, considered  the  model  city  in  the  State,  not 
excepting  San  Jose.  Oakland  is  noted  for  its  ele- 
gant private  residences,  its  parks  and  gardens,  its 
profusion  of  majestic  live  oaks,  and  the  picturesque 
beauty  and  variety  of  scenery  by  which  it  is  sur- 
rounded. Many  of  the  wealthy  citizens  of  San 
Francisco  and  a  large  number  of  retired  farmers 
have  their  homes  here,  where  they  and  their  fam- 
ilies can  enjoy  the  many  educational  and  other 
advantages  of  this  quiet  city. 

Five  miles  from  Oakland,  on  the  opposite  side  of 


12  Around  the  World. 

San  Francisco  Bay,  I  found  myself  in  the  bustling 
city  of  San  Francisco.  This  city  is  famous  for  its 
magnificent  harbor  and  its  exports  of  gold  and 
wheat, — it  is  the  largest  city  of  the  Pacific  coast,  and 
is  the  fourth  city  of  the  United  States  in  foreign 
commerce  ;  it  has  a  population  of  350,000.  San 
Francisco  is  lined  with  costly  edifices,  from  Golden 
Gate  Park  to  the  home  of  the  lucky  millionaire  on 
Nob  Hill.  A  few  of  the  many  attractions  this  city 
contains  are  Golden  Gate  Park,  the  Cliff  House, 
the  Presidio;  Telegraph  Hill,  from  which  you  ob- 
tain a  fine  view  of  the  bay,  Oakland,  Saucelito, 
and,  in  fact,  of  all  the  surrounding  country;  Wood- 
ward's Gardens,  Sutro  Heights,  the  Panorama, 
Theatres,  Operas  and  Museums.  It  has  a  goodly 
number  of  fine  hotels,  the  most  extensive  of  which 
is  the  Palace.  This  hotel  was  erected  at  a  cost  of 
four  millions  of  dollars,  and  is  the  largest  caravan- 
sary in  the  world.  In  my  estimation,  the  South- 
ern in  St.  Louis,  the  Palmer  House  in  Chicago,  or 
the  Windsor  in  New  York  are  inferior  in  compar- 
ison with  the  Palace.  The  city  contains  many 
magnificent  cathedrals  and  imposing  structures, 
and  possesses  every  facility  and  advantage  to  en- 
able it  to  maintain  its  position  as  the  metropolis  of 
the  Pacific  coast. 

On  the  25th  day  of  July,  1885,  I  embarked 
on  the  coast  steamer  State  of  California  for 
Portland,   Oregon, — a  distance  of  800  miles  from 


(13) 


14  Arotind  the  World. 

San  Francisco.  As  we  moved  out  from  the  dock, 
we  waved  a  last  adieu  with  our  hats  and  handker- 
chiefs to  the  friends  we  left  behind  us.  This  last 
parting  will  long  be  remembered.  Soon  the  faces 
of  those  we  loved  were  left  in  the  dim  distance;  and, 
as  we  sailed  out  of  the  Golden  Gate  into  the  broad 
Pacific,  I  felt  this  to  be  the  practical  beginning  of 
a  long  and  perilous  journey,,  and  it  led  to  queries 
in  my  own  mind  as  to  whether  I  should  ever  return 
to  my  home  in  sunny  California,  or  whether  I 
should  meet  the  fate  of  many  an  adventurous 
traveler  who  has  found  a  last  resting  place  in  some 
distant  clime  or  been  consigned  to  the  tender  mer- 
cies of  the  restless  deep.  This  portion  of  the 
Pacific  was  not  pacific,  a  fact  soon  determined  by 
many  of  the  passengers,  who  were  decidedly  sea- 
sick. At  sea  this  most  disagreeable  of  sickness  is 
called  "  feeding  the  fishes."  The  swell  of  the  sea 
and  the  roll  of  the  vessel  soon  proved  too  much 
for  a  landsman  like  myself,  and  I  joined  the  num- 
ber of  seasick  passengers.  But  in  my  case  the 
sea-sickness  lasted  only  two  days,  and  I  found  my- 
self with  better  health  and  a  better  appetite,  so 
concluded  there  was  much  truth  in  the  old  adage 
that  "it  is  an  ill  wind  that  blows  no  one  any  good." 
After  recovering  my  equilibrium  I  made  new 
friends  and  some  interesting  acquaintances,  who 
helped  to  make  the  days  pass  swiftly  by.  On  this 
coast  there  is  no  object  worthy  of  note  after  leav- 


The  Columbia.  15 

ing  Cape  Mendocino;  and  no  incident  worthy  of 
mention  occurred.  We  could  see  nothing  but  the 
fish,  the  broad  expanse  of  water,  and  the  blue  sky 
overhead. 

On  the  third  day  at  sea  we  steamed  into 
Astoria,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  River. 
This  place  has  the  largest  salmon  fisheries  in  the 
world,  and  is  about  650  miles  from  San  Francisco. 
The  bay  in  the  vicinity  of  Astoria  is  dotted  with 
fishing  boats  whose  occupants  are  engaged  in  catch- 
ing fish  for  the  canning  establishments.  These 
unfortunate  fishermen  often  meet  with  accident, 
and  wrecks  and  loss  of  life  are  of  frequent  occur- 
rence, as  this  is  a  stormy  shore.  Astoria  is  an  old, 
flat,  rusty-looking  town,  with  wooded  bluffs  in  the 
background.  The  surrounding  country  is  well 
timbered.  A  large  number  of  sailing  craft  can  be 
seen  from  Astoria  plying  up  and  down  the  coast 
between  Puget  Sound  and  San  Francisco;  they  are 
principally  engaged  in  the  lumber  trade.  The 
northern  coast  of  California  exports  a  large  amount 
of  choice  lumber,  such  as  sugar  pine,  spruce  and 
redwood  to  Australia,  Japan  and  the  East. 

After  leaving  Astoria  we  entered  the  famous 
Columbia  River.  On  either  side  of  this  stream  is  a 
succession  of  elevated  ranges  thickly  dressed  in 
spruce  and  pine.  When  the  powerful  engine  of 
our  steamer  had  forced  its  way  through  the  foam- 
ing  current   for    100   miles,    we    found    ourselves 


16  Around  the  World. 

at  Portland,  which  is  situated  on  the  western 
bank  of  the  Willamette  River,  a  tributary  of  the 
Columbia.  Portland  is  the  metropolis  of  Oregon, 
and  has  a  population  of  40,000.  It  is  said  to  be 
one  of  the  richest  cities  in  proportion  to  its  size 
in  the  United  States.  '  It  is  well  laid  out,  with 
many  beautiful  residences,  and  is  destined,  by 
reason  of  its  natural  advantages,  to  become  a  large 
city  within  the  next  twenty  years.  Several  large 
ocean  vessels  were  anchored  at  her  wharves  loading 
wheat  for  Europe.  Oregon  is  blessed  with  a  very 
rich  soil,  an  abundance  of  rain,  and  an  almost 
inexhaustible  supply  of  timber;  her  many  valleys 
are  fertile  and  picturesque.  The  lofty  eminence 
which  girts  the  city  of  Portland  seems  to  prove 
the  greatest  attraction  for  tourists.  Here  they  can 
overlook  the  shipping,  and  the  life  and  bustle  in  the 
city  below.  Here,  also,  can  be  seen  the  farms  and 
groves  of  the  broad  Willamette  Valley,  and  a 
distant  view  can  be  had  of  five  of  the  largest 
mountains  in  the  United  States:  Mount  Hood, 
Mount  Jefferson,  Mount  Taccma,  Mount  Adams 
and  Mount  St.  Helens.  The  peaks  of  these 
mountains  are  covered  with  perpetual  snow. 

After  leaving  Portland,  I  resumed  my  journey 
by  rail  for  St.  Paul,  a  distance  of  about  1,950 
miles,  which  we  made  in  less  than  four  days.  It 
seemed  but  a  short  space  of  time  before  we  were 
over   the    Cascade    Mountains    and    into    Eastern 


Washington   Territory.  17 

Oregon.  Along  this  route,  on  the  Columbia  River, 
can  be  seen  some  of  the  finest  railway  engineering 
and  wildest  mountain  scenery  in  the  West;  the 
further  you  follow  the  winding,  foaming  stream, 
the  more  the  scenery  increases  in  grandeur  and 
interest.  At  Wallula  Station  we  found  that  we 
had  left  the  Web-foot  State.  Here  I  resumed  my 
journey  in  the  direction  of  Walla  Walla.  The 
country,  as  seen  from  the  cars,  presented  a  variety 
of  scene  and  soil.  At  times  fertile  fields  presented 
themselves  to  our  view,  again  we  were  treated  to  a 
succession  of  hills  covered  with  bunch  grass,  and 
at  other  times  stretches  of  country  which  boasted 
of  no  vegetation  but  sage-brush  met  our  view.  As 
the  eastern  portion  of  Washington  Territory  is 
remote  from  the  market,  and  has  no  extensive 
railway  system  to  transport  its  products,  wheat- 
raising  is  indulged  in  to  but  a  limited  extent.  The 
principal  industry  is  stock-raising  ;  vast  herds  of 
cattle  can  be  seen  arazina-  on  the  hills.  At  Ains- 
worth  the  cars  crossed  the  Snake  River  on  one  of 
the  largest  iron  bridges  on  the  Northern  Pacific. 
Spokane  Falls  is  the  last  and  one  of  the  most 
important  towns  in  Washington  Territory.  It  is 
surrounded  by  timber,  and  contains  several  sights 
of  interest,  including  the  most  imposing  water- 
falls east  of  the  Cascade  Mountains.  From  here 
on  to    the    Idaho    line    the   land    is    uncultivated, 

and  barren  of  vegetation.     We  crossed  over  into 
2 


18  Around  the  World. 

Idaho,  and  journeyed  along  the  shores  of  Lake 
Pend  d'Orielle.  This  beautiful  body  of  water  is 
fed  by  snow  from  the  surrounding  peaks.  Our 
road  wound  its  way  around  these  lofty  mountains, 
until  at  last  we  found  ourselves  in  the  gateway  of 
the  Rocky  Mountains.  Here  a  grand  sight  met 
our  eyes:  the  snow-covered  peaks  glistening  in  the 
sun,  the  streams  and  cataracts  tearing  their  way 
down  the  mountain's  side,  all  proclaimed  this  to  be 
one  of  Nature's  masterpieces.  Idaho  produces  large 
amounts  of  gold  and  silver.  We  found  the  country 
to  be  thickly  timbered,  but  poorly  improved.  The 
principal  resources  of  this  Territory  are  stock- 
raising  and  mining.  Boise  City,  its  capital,  is  the 
centre  of  a  large  mining  district,  and  many  exten- 
sive mines  are  in  operation  in  its  vicinity. 

Speeding  along  at  a  rapid  rate,  we  soon  reached 
Montana,  the  finest  stock-raising  country  on  the 
Northern  Pacific  road.  Vast  herds  of  cattle  could 
be  seen  all  through  this  country:  the  land  is  mostly 
owned  by  the  government,  and  these  Montana 
stockmen  have  extensive  ranges  now,  where  prob- 
ably, in  a  few  years,  when  the  tide  of  emigration 
turns  that  way,  there  will  be  many  farms  and  the 
land  will  be  extensively  cultivated.  Much  of  the 
beef  is  exported  to  Europe.  In  addition  to  her 
stock-raising  interests,  Montana  has  a  fine  climate, 
much  rich  soil,  and  great  mineral  wealth.  At  Mul- 
len's Pass  we  crossed  the  main  chain  of  the  Rocky 


Crossing  the  Rocky  Mountains.  19 

Mountains,  passing  through  a  tunnel  nearly  4,000 
feet  in  length,  and  at  an  altitude  of  5,500  above  the 
level  of  the  sea.  The  road  eastward  runs  through 
a  level  valley  which  is  well  timbered.  We  found  the 
scenery  very  picturesque.  The  next  place  of  int- 
erest was  Helena,  the  capital  and  largest  city.  It  is 
situated  on  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Rocky  Mount- 
ains, and  also  near  the  headwaters  of  the  Missouri 
River.  The  country  on  the  northern  side  of  the 
city  has  a  panoramic  appearance, — lofty  mountain 
peaks  loom  up  in  the  distance,  and  add  much  to  the 
grandeur  of  the  scene.  Helena  is  the  centre  of 
one  of  the  largest  mining  districts  on  the  continent. 
In  the  last  few  years  many  million  dollars  have 
been  taken  from  the  soil,  and  there  are  a  laree 
number  of  extensive  paying  mines  at  present  in 
operation.  Montana,  however,  seems  to  have  been 
designed  by  nature  for  a  great  pastoral  country,  and 
reaps  larger  returns  from  her  stock-raising  interests 
than  from  her  mineral  wealth. 

As  we  journeyed  eastward  from  Helena,  I  was 
much  impressed  by  the  extensive  valleys  :  always 
could  be  seen  in  every  direction  the  vast  herds  of 
cattle  grazing  on  the  seemingly  abundant  feed. 
To  my  mind,  it  was  a  perpetual  reminder  of  beef- 
steak. At  Livingston,  125  miles  east  of  Helena, 
there  is  a  branch  road  to  the  National  Yellowstone 
Park,  a  distance  of  sixty  miles.  This  famous  resort 
I  decided  to  visit,  and  while  here  I  met  tourists  from 


•20  Around  the  World. 

home  and  abroad,  who,  like  myself,  had  been  im- 
pressed with  a  desire  to  witness  one  of  nature's 
greatest  wonders.  This  valley  is  enclosed  by 
mountains,  many  over  10,000  feet  in  height.  Its 
deep  canyons,  lofty  falls  and  numerous  bathing  pools, 
geysers  and  lakes,  make  it  in  many  respects  the 
most  wonderful  portion  of  the  continent,  and  even 
of  the  world.  It  has  been  set  aside  by  Congress  as 
a  "  perpetual  reservation  for  the  benefit  and  in- 
struction of  mankind."  Some  of  the  hot  springs 
and  geysers  throw  boiling  water  hundreds  of  feet 
into  the  air.  Yellowstone  Lake  is  seventeen  miles 
wide  by  twenty  miles  long.  Several  small  steam- 
ers on  this  lake  convey  the  tourist  to  various 
points  of  interest.  It  strikes  me  it  would  be  well 
to  call  this  park  the  playground  of  America,  as 
Switzerland  is  termed  the  playground  of  Europe. 

Well,  as  the  writer  is  a  traveler  on  the  wirigf, 
he  resumes  his  journey  on  the  main  line.  Jour- 
neying eastward  from  Livingston,  we  arrived  at 
Glendive,  an  important  trading  post.  We  had 
now  traveled  800  miles,  the  extreme  length  of 
Montana.  While  penciling  these  last  notes  in 
my  memorandum  book  the  iron  horse  has  whirled 
us  over  the  boundary  line  into  Dakota.  Medora 
is  the  first  station  on  the  Little  Missouri.  It  is 
surrounded  by  many  odd  and  curious  hills,  in  all 
shapes  and  sizes,  called  "  The  Bad  Lands,"  and 
I  was  fully  convinced    that  these    lands  did    not 


Dakota.  21 

belie  their  name;  the  soil  seemed  to  be  of  every 
kind  and  color  ;  great  numbers  of  cattle  were  seen 
grazing  on  every  hill.  Here,  also,  are  extensive 
hunting  grounds;  wolves,  buffalo,  deer  and  elk  can 
be  found  on  the  prairies.  This  must  be  a  para- 
dise for  hunters.  The  next  station  we  arrived  at 
was  Dickenson,  which  is  located  in  a  fertile  val- 
ley. It  had  the  appearance  of  being  a  hunting 
ground  also,  if  one  could  judge  from  the  variety 
of  stuffed  deer,  wolves,  and  the  skins  of  wild  ani- 
mals which  were  hanging  in  sight  and  were  for 
sale  at  the  depot.  After  passing  New  Salem,  we 
began  to  see  new  settlements,  the  first  we  had 
seen  in  this  remote  region.  Western  Dakota  has 
a  fertile  soil,  and  vegetation  grows  luxuriantly. 
It  is,  however,  destitute  of  timber:  this  creates  a 
scarcity  of  fuel,  which  is  a  great  drawback  to  the 
prosperity  of  this  section,  where  the  winters  are 
long  and  severe.  The  coal  which  is  used  here 
has  to  be  brought  a  long  distance,  and  at  great 
expense  for  transportation.  Mandan  is  a  thrifty 
city  of  3,000  inhabitants,  situated  on  the  west  bank 
of  the  Missouri  River,  about  half  way  between  the 
Montana  and  Minnesota  line,  and  is  the  terminal 
point  of  the  Dakota  and  Minnesota  division  of 
the  road. 

The  whole  country  west  of  Mandan  is  dotted 
with  rude  farm  houses.  All  of  these  farms  are 
scantily  improved,  and  everything  bears    evidence 


22  Around  the  World. 

of  newness  and  want  of  means.  But  the  tiller  of 
the  soil  in  Dakota  has  a  fine  prospect  before  him, 
and  in  a  few  years  will  reap  the  reward  of  his 
labors,  and  independence  and  comfort  will  take 
the  place  of  the  inconveniences  and  discomforts  at- 
tending the  life  of  the  pioneer.  On  the  east  bank 
of  the  Missouri  stands  the  thriving  city  of  Bis- 
marck, a  place  of  about  10,000  inhabitants,  a 
large  proportion  of  whom  are  Europeans.  The 
Missouri  here  is  spanned  by  an  enormous  iron 
bridge,  the  largest  structure  of  the  kind  on  the 
Northern  Pacific  between  Portland  and  St.  Paul. 
Between  Bismarck  and  the  Minnesota  line  the 
aspect  of  the  country  changes  most  favorably ;  it 
is  level  and  fertile,  covered  with  fields  of  waving 
grain.  The  main  attraction  to  farmers  in  this 
section  of  Dakota  is  the  farms  of  Dalrymple. 
These  farms  consist  of  75,000  acres,  all  under 
cultivation.  It  was  harvest  time  when  I  saw 
them,  and  the  vast  prairie,  covered  with  its  wealth 
of  golden  grain,  presented  a  brilliant  sight. 
The  Dalrymple  farms  are  situated  in  the  valley 
of  the  Red  River  of  the  North,  the  banner  farm- 
ing belt  of  Dakota.  I  was  now  reminded  of  our 
extensive  farms  in  California,  to  me  the  garden 
spot  of  the  earth.  I  could  not  but  think  how  her 
farmers  were  favored  with  the  mild,  even  climate 
and  the  long,  dry  summers  that  afford  such  ample 
time  to  harvest  the  grain. 


Minneapolis.  23 

After    350    miles    of    rapid    riding    in    Dakota, 
we    arrived    at    Fargo,   on    the    western    bank    of 
the    Red   River   of    the    North.     This    stream    is 
the    division    line    between    Dakota    and    Minne- 
sota.     On    the   east    side    of  the   river   we    found 
the  enterprising  town  of  Moorhead,  and  had  our 
first    glimpse    of    Minnesota,   the    fourth    greatest 
grain  State  in  the  American  Union.     Were  it  not 
for   the    high    latitude    and    the  long    and  severe 
winters,  she  would  lead  the  van  as  a  great  grain- 
growing  State.     All  along  the  line  of  the  railroad 
could   be   seen    signs    of    wealth    and    prosperity, 
especially    in    the    Red    River   Valley.      Brainerd, 
an  attractive  and  flourishing  city  of   10,000  inhab- 
itants,   is     situated     on     the      Mississippi      River 
140  miles  northwest  of  St.  Paul.      It  is  surrounded 
by  a  vast  and  fertile  prairie    that   is  dotted   with 
beautiful  farms.      Pursuing  my  journey  eastward, 
the  next    place  of  importance  reached  was  Little 
Falls,  situated  among    and    surrounded   by  forest 
trees,    and   boasting  of   having    the   largest  hotel 
on  the    Northern    Pacific   Railroad.      It    also    has 
a  branch   railroad   running  to  Minnewaska  Lake, 
one  of  the  loveliest  summer  resorts  in  Minnesota. 
One  hundred  miles  more  and  we  entered  Minne- 
apolis, the  queen  city  of  the  Northwest.     This  city 
has  a  population  of  1 25,000,  and  is  one  of  the  great- 
est milling  points  in  the  world.      It  is  situated  on  a 
level  plain  on  the  western  bank  of  the  Mississippi. 


24  Around  the  World. 

Many  of  the  streets  are  lined  with  imposing  build- 
ings which  would  do  justice  to  either  London  or 
Paris.  Aside  from  being  a  great  railroad  centre, 
this  city  is  backed  by  a  densely  settled  farming 
country,  extending  over  the  fertile  plains  to  the  Red 
River  Valley.  One  of  the  chief  points  of  interest 
is  St.  Anthony's  Falls.  It  is  a  magnificent  sight  to 
watch  the  foaming  torrent  as  it  tears  its  way  over 
rocks  and  precipices  until  it  reaches  the  Missis- 
sippi. This  fall  is  often  called  the  Niagara  of 
the  West.  It  has  an  estimated  capacity  of  135,000 
horse-power  at  the  lowest  stage  of  water.  This 
water-power  is  utilized  in  the  various  mills,  some 
of  which  I  visited.  The  Washburn  and  Pillsbury 
Mills  are  said  to  have  the  greatest  grinding 
capacity  of  any  mills  in  the  world.  Long  trains 
of  cars  can  always  be  seen  here  loading  flour, 
which  is  shipped  to  Chicago,  and  from  thence  to 
various  points  on  both  continents,  and  this  flour  is 
converted  into  bread  to  feed  the  hungry  millions 
with.  While  here  I  also  visited  several  woolen 
factories,  where  hundreds  of  men  and  women  are 
constantly  employed  in  the  manufacture  of  woolen 
goods. 

Twelve  miles  from  Minneapolis  lies  St.  Paul, 
the  capital  of  the  State.  It  is  a  thriving,  enter- 
prising commercial  city,  situated  at  the  head  of 
navigation  on  the  Mississippi  River.  This  city  is 
built  on  an  elevation,  and  one  can  have  a  magnifi- 


St.  Paul.  25 

cent  view  of  the  river,  upon  which  boats  can  be 
seen  during  most  of  the  year  plying  up  and  down 
the  stream.  While  St.  Paul  his  not  the  water- 
power  that  Minneapolis  has,  she  has  the  advantage 
of  being  the  capital  of  a  growing  and  prosperous 
State,  and  this  advantage  she  intends  to  retain.  A 
great  rivalry  exists  between  these  two  cities,  each 
trying  to  control  the  great  growing  Northwestern 
trade;  but  the  suburbs  of  each  are  growing  out  in 
the  direction  of  the  other,  and  it  seems  as  if  the 
two  must  soon  become  one  great  city,  with  inter- 
ests in  common  and  a  common  destiny.  The 
growth  they  have  made  within  the  last  score  of 
years  has  been  marvelous.  When  I  first  visited 
Minnesota,  twenty-five  years  ago,  each  of  these 
places  had  less  than  7,000  inhabitants.  In  1S86 
they  had  a  combined  population  of  over  a  quarter 
of  a  million. 

St.  Paul  has  various  means  of  egress.  One 
can  have  their  choice  of  a  number  of  routes  by 
rail,  or  they  can  travel  by  water  on  the  river 
steamers  until  that  becomes  monotonous,  and  then 
can  return  to  the  swifter  method  of  transit.  But 
at  this  juncture  I  concluded  to  stay  with  the 
rail,  so  took  the  train  at  the  Union  Depot,  on 
the  line  known  as  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  & 
St.  Paul.  The  first  city  of  importance  that  I 
arrived  at  in  the  Badger  State  was  La  Crosse, 
situated  on    the    Mississippi    River,   and    also    at 


26  Around  the  World. 

the  mouth  of  the  Black  River.  It  is  the  centre 
of  a  large  lumber  industry.  From  here  I  re- 
sumed my  journey  to  Kilbourn  City,  on  the 
Wisconsin  River,  a  distance  of  eighty  miles. 
The  chief  attractions  on  this  route  were  the 
numerous  bluffs  and  thickly  wooded  valleys,  until 
we  arrived  at  the  Dells.  This  place  is  quite  a 
summer  resort  for  Milwaukee  and  Chicago  peo- 
ple, who  come  here  during  the  warmest  part  of 
the  summer  to  enjoy  a  change  of  scene  and  of 
air.  The  Dells  are  a  narrow,  rocky  gorge,  only 
a  few  feet  wide,  and  miles  long,  where  the  Wis- 
consin River  penetrates  through  bluffs  whose 
high  and  curious  walls  extend  perpendicularly  in 
the  air.  It  is  an  interesting  sight  to  stand  on 
one  of  these  high  elevations  during  a  freshet  in 
the  spring,  and  watch  the  foaming  torrent  of 
water  pouring  into  this  narrow  passage.  Thirty 
years  ago,  before  I  became  a  pioneer  to  the 
then  far  West,  my  home  was  near  Kilbourn 
City.  Here  my  parents  first  made  their  home 
after  emigrating  from  Europe.  Here  my  boyhood 
days  were  spent  among  the  tamaracks  and  oaks 
in  the  green  meadows.  In  the  winter  we  were 
surrounded  by  snow-clad  hills,  and  near  us  were 
beautiful  lakes.  I  enjoyed  a  brief  and  pleasant 
sojourn  among  my  many  old  and  almost  for- 
gotten friends.  Time  had  wrought  many  changes; 
but   memory,   busy  with   the    past,   brought  many 


Milwaukee  —  Chicago.  2  7 


&' 


pleasant  recollections  to  my  mind.  Old-time 
scenes  and  incidents  were  recalled. 

After  bidding  my  friends  adieu,  I  again  resumed 
my  journey.  I  took  the  cars  at  Kilbourn  City,  and 
was  soon  swiftly  speeding  away  over  marshes, 
swamps,  tree-clad  hills  and  rolling  prairie.  On 
this  route  the  towns  worthy  of  note  were  Portage 
and  Watertown  ;  ere  long  we  arrived  at  Milwau- 
kee, the  largest  city  in  Wisconsin.  It  is  one  of 
the  five  great  lake  ports,  and  has  a  large  com- 
merce in  breadstuff's,  provisions  and  lumber.  The 
next  city  of  importance  was  Racine,  which  is  not 
far  from  the  boundary  line  of  Illinois,  and  we  soon 
arrived  at  Chicago,  which  is  a  great  railway  centre, 
and  I  again  have  my  choice  of  a  variety  of  routes.  It 
isnot  the  intention  of  the  writer  to  make  extended 
mention  of  these  large  cities  which  lie  on  the  beaten 
line  of  travel  and  are  so  well  known  to  us  all,  but 
rather  to  give  a  brief  resume  of  the  places  of  impor- 
tance he  passed  on  his  journey  over  the  continent. 

Chicago  is  a  city  of  recent  and  remarkable 
growth,  its  population  having  increased  nearly  70 
per  cent,  in  the  last  ten  years.  Originally  built 
on  low  ground,  it  has  become,  in  its  grading,  drain- 
age and  water  supply,  a  monument  to  the  energy, 
sagacity  and  public  spirit  of  its  citizens.  In  Octo- 
ber, 1 87 1,  a  fire,  one  of  the  most  destructive  in 
modern  times,  swept  away  three  and  a  quarter 
miles  of  its  most  valuable    storehouses    and  resi- 


(28) 


Scenes  Through  Pennsylvania.  29 

dences.  Notwithstanding  this  sudden  calamity, 
the  most  extensive  and  disastrous  that  ever  befell 
an  American  community,  the  new  Chicago  that 
has  already  sprung  from  the  old  is,  in  every  respect, 
a  grander  city.  It  is  the  commercial  metropolis 
of  the  St.  Lawrence  basin,  the  chief  lumber  and 
pork  market  in  America,  and,  next  to  London,  the 
greatest  grain  market  in  the  world. 

On  leaving  Chicago,  I  decided  to  travel  by  way 
of  the  Fort  Wayne  &  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  and, 
by  so  doing,  I  passed  many  of  the  largest  iron 
mines,  viewed  some  of  the  rolling  mills,  and  visited 
all  of  the  principal  cities  in  Pennsylvania,  including 
Pittsburg,  Harrisburg  and  Philadelphia.  I  also 
crossed  the  largest  rivers  in  the  State,  and  made 
the  climb  over  the  Alleghany  Mountains.  I  here 
saw  some  of  the  grandest  mountain  scenery  and 
most  difficult  railway  engineering  in  the  Union. 
Arriving  at  Philadelphia,  I  proceeded  to  view  the 
points  of  interest.  I  visited  the  U.  S.  Mint,  and  had 
a  fine  view  of  the  city  from  the  elevated  railway. 
The  most  famous  public  building  is  the  old  State 
House,  where  the  Declaration  of  Independence  was 
adopted,  July  4th,  1  776.  Philadelphia  is  the  second 
city  in  the  United  States  in  manufactures  and  popu- 
lation, and  the  fifth  in  the  amount  of  its  foreign  com- 
merce ;  it  also  has  an  extensive  domestic  commerce, 
and  is  the  greatest  coal  depot  in  America.  It  is 
noted    for  its    Fairmount   Park,   its    well  supplied 


30  Around  the  World. 

markets,  and  its  abundance  of  cheap  and  com- 
fortable dwellings ;  it  is  sometimes  called  the 
"  City  of   Homes." 

After  leaving  Philadelphia,  my  next  stopping 
place  was  New  York  City.  All  along  the  line  of 
the  railroad  between  Philadelphia  and  New  York 
can  be  seen  busy  cities,  bearing  the  marks  of  age, 
enterprise  and  prosperity.  New  York  City  is  the 
richest  and  most  populous  city  in  America.  It  is 
noted  for  its  extensive  commerce,  the  number  of  its 
magnificent  hotels,  banks,  churches  and  private 
dwellings.  I  visited  Central  Park  and  the  Brooklyn 
Bridge,  saw  the  Vanderbilt  and  Gould  mansions, 
and  gazed  upon  the  busy,  bustling  throng  in  Broad- 
way and  Wall  street.  The  elevated  railway  ex- 
tends twelve  miles,  from  Harlem  River  to  Castle 
Garden.  In  1880,  only  two  cities  in  Europe, 
London  and  Paris,  exceeded  New  York  in  popula- 
tion. Brooklyn,  the  third  city  of  the  United  States, 
and  Jersey  City,  in  New  Jersey,  are  so  closely 
connected  with  it  that  they  really  constitute  one 
great  city.  Besides  these  are  many  residential 
towns  connected  with  New  York  by  rivers  and 
railroads.  So  numerous  are  these  towns  that  the 
total  number  of  inhabitants  within  a  radius  of  thirty 
miles  around  New  York  City  is  not  less  than 
2,500,000.  While  in  New  York  I  attended  the 
funeral  of  General  Grant,  the  most  imposing  pa- 
geant ever  witnessed  in  America. 


(31) 


32  Around  the  World. 

Now  that  my  journey  from  San  Francisco  to 
New  York  over  the  Northern  Pacific  road  has  been 
described,  before  I  cross  the  Atlantic,  and  enter 
upon  my  tour  of  the  Old  World,  I  will  make  brief 
mention  of  my  other  transcontinental  trips.  Per- 
chance, some  other  traveler  may  follow  in  my  foot- 
steps, and,  finding  himself  in  San  Francisco  unde- 
cided which  route  to  travel  by,  would  be  glad  to 
know  what  the  various  points  of  interest  are  on 
each  route.  Not  that  these  few  pages  are  intended 
as  a  guide  book,  for  they  are  not,  but  simply  a 
narrative  of  the  experience  of  a  traveler. 

When  I  made  my  first  journey  overland,  in  1870, 
I  traveled  byway  of  the  Central  and  Union  Pacific. 
San  Francisco  was  my  starting  point;  at  Port 
Costa  we  crossed,  on  the  large  railway  ferry  here- 
tofore mentioned,  to  Benicia,  and  were  soon  speed- 
ing away  toward  Sacramento,  the  capital  of  our 
Golden  State.  A  few  miles  from  Sacramento  the 
character  of  the  country  changes,  we  leave  the 
fertile  vallevs  behind,  and  find  ourselves  in  the 
foot-hills  of  the  Sierra  Nevadas.  The  climate  and 
soil  of  these  foot-hills  are  peculiarly  adapted  to 
fruit-raising.  All  varieties  of  grapes  grow  to  per- 
fection, small  fruit  trees  of  every  kind  are  culti- 
vated here,  and  even  tropical  and  citrus  fruits  are 
raised  successfully.  This  portion  of  California  has 
also  been  a  great  mining  region,  and  there  are 
still  a  number  of  rich  mines  in   successful  opera- 


Over  the  Sierra  Nevadas.  33 

tion.  One  of  the  grandest  sights  in  the  Sierras 
is  Cape  Horn,  where  some  marvelous  engineering 
can  be  seen.  Here  the  track  is  cut  on  a  narrow 
ledge  around  the  peak,  from  which  there  is  a  per- 
pendicular descent  of  almost  2,000  feet.  The 
scenery  along  here  will  compare  favorably  with 
that  of  the  Alps,  the  Alleghanies,  the  Kandy 
Mountains  in  Ceylon,  or  even  that  seen  from  the 
zigzag  railway  in  the  Blue  Mountains  in  Australia. 
The  Sierra  Nevadas  constitute  one  of  the  grand- 
est mountain  chains  in  the  world.  Their  loftiest 
peaks  reach  an  elevation  of  about  15,000  feet, 
and  are  the  highest  in  the  United  States.  Their 
forest-clad  western  slope  has  its  foot  in  the  low 
valleys  almost  at  the  level  of  the  sea ;  and, 
with  their  long  line  of  peaks  covered  with  per- 
petual snow,"  their  gigantic  spurs  and  numerous 
foot-hills  rich  with  gold,  their  deep  canyons, 
foaming  torrents,  and  giant  trees,  they  present 
landscapes  famous  throughout  the  world  for  vari- 
ety, beauty  and  sublimity.  Their  eastern  slope, 
though  bold  and  rugged,  is  much  narrower  and 
less  imposing.  Truckee,  situated  on  the  eastern 
slope  of  this  range  of  mountains,  is  surrounded 
by  a  country  that  is  grand,  romantic  and  heavily 
timbered.  Near  here  are  the  famous  snow-sheds, 
which  are  about  thirty  miles  in  length.  A  few 
miles  distant  are  Donner  Lake  and  Lake  Tahoe, 
both     noted    summer     resorts      These     beautiful 


34  Around  the  World. 

sheets  of  water  will  compare  favorably  with  Lake 
Lucerne,  in  Switzerland,  or  Lake  Como,  in  Italy. 
Lake  Tahoe  is  about  twenty-two  miles  long"  by 
fourteen  wide.  It  is  1,500  feet  deep,  and  its  sur- 
face is  about  6,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 
Thirty  miles  east  of  Truckee,  we  arrived  at 
Reno,  the  first  town  of  note  in  Nevada.  Here  are 
two  railway  lines,  one  running  to  Carson  City,  the 
capital  of  the  State;  the  other  for  Virginia  City, 
which  lies  in  one  of  the  richest  silver  regions  in 
the  world.  A  peculiar  feature  of  the  latter  road 
is  that  it  is  about  as  crooked  as  a  corkscrew.  Ne- 
vada is  called  the  Silver  State,  and  with  equal  truth 
might  be  called  the  Sa^e-Brush  State,  as  sage-brush 
abounds  so  plentifully.  It  is,  however,  pre-emi- 
nently a  mineral  State,  its  resources  of  this  nature 
being  extraordinary  in  variety  and  value,  and  in- 
exhaustible in  quantity.  Prominent  among  the 
hundreds  of  rich  mines  are  those  of  the  famous 
Comstock  ledge, from  which  many  millionaires  have 
evolved.  From  Reno  eastward,  we  soon  strike  the 
Humboldt  River,  which  is  the  largest  river  in  the 
State.  After  a  winding  course  of  about  350 
miles,  it  is  lost  in  the  Humboldt  and  Carson  sink, 
a  shallow  lake  or  marsh -of  vast  extent,  its  waters 
being  brackish  with  salt  and  soda.  As  we  go  east- 
ward,  we  travel  through  a  country  which  is  for 
the  most  part  level  and  covered  with  sage-brush. 
We  pass  Wadsworth,  Winnemucca,  Battle  Mount- 


Salt  Lake  City.  35 

ain,  Palisade,  Carlin  and  Elko,  occasionally  catch- 
ing- a  glimpse  of  some  beautiful  bits  of  scenery. 
We  next  reach  Utah,  the  land  of  the  honey  bee, 
as  the  Mormons  style  it.  These  Mormons  constitute 
four-fifths  of  the  population  of  this  Territory.  One 
could  not  but  note  the  great  contrast  between  the 
dry  sage-brush  country  of  Nevada  and  the  fertile 
valleys  occupied  by  the  Mormons,  or  Latter-Day 
Saints,  as  they  style  themselves.  Salt  Lake  City, 
the  capital  of  Utah,  is  situated  on  the  east  bank 
of  the  Jordan  River,  the  stream  which  connects 
Great  Salt  Lake  and  Lake  Utah.  It  is  4,350  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  is  picturesquely  lo- 
cated. Its  streets  are  lined  with  shade  trees,  which, 
when  in  leaf,  conceal  many  of  the  buildings  from 
view,  which  gives  a  large  portion  of  the  city  the 
appearance  of  a  garden.  These  streets  are  128 
feet  wide,  and  a  stream  of  water  flows  through 
each,  from  which  the  gardens  are  irrigated.  The 
climate  is  considered  very  healthful.  One  of  the 
chief  attractions  and  points  of  interest  is  the 
sacred  square,  or  temple  block.  Here  the  new 
temple,  which  has  been  years  in  the  course  of  con- 
struction, is  now  nearing  completion.  I  last 
visited  this  enormous  granite  structure  in  April, 
1885,  on  my  return  from  the  New  Orleans  Ex- 
position. I  also  visited  the  Tabernacle,  which  is  a 
spacious  wooden  structure  250  feet  long  by  150 
feet  wide,  is  seventy  feet  in  height,  and  has  an  oval 


•A 
■< 

72 


O 
-<! 
2; 

3 


(36) 


Salt  Lake  City.  37 

roof.     It  has  a  seating  capacity  of  10,000  people;  its 
twenty  doors  all  open   outward.      In  the  west  end 
stands  the  organ,  which    the   Mormon    attendant 
who  guided  me  around,  informed  me  was  the  largest 
organ  in  the  United  States.      It  is  thirty  feet  wide, 
thirty-three  feet  long,  and  has  3,000  pipes.      On  leav- 
ing the  church,  I  was  requested  to  register  my  name 
in   the   great  church   register.      I    also  visited  the 
Zion    Co-Operative    Mercantile    Institution.      The 
head  manager  of  this  institution  informed  me  that 
this  was  the  largest  mercantile  house  west  of  Chi- 
cago, that  the  capital  invested  in  merchandise  was 
$1,000,000,  and  that  they  constantly  employed  160 
clerks.      There  is  a  museum  containing  a  good  col- 
lection of  specimens.      Another  point  of   interest  is 
the  Black  Rock  bathing  resort.      The  residence  of 
the  late  Brigham  Young,  the  Salt   Lake  Assembly 
Hall,   and  the  Walker  House,  the  leading  hotel, 
are  magnificent  structures  that  would  do  credit  to 
a  city  twice  the  size  of  Salt   Lake.      The  Mormons 
occupy  fertile  valleys  at  the  western  base  of  the 
Wahsatch  Mountains,  and  carry  on  extensive  agri- 
culture by  means  of  irrigation.      These  mountains 
are    10,000   feet   high,   and   are   covered  with  per- 
petual snow.      A  great  many  travelers  and  tourists 
visit  Salt  Lake  City. 

On  leaving"  here  we  have  the  choice  of  two 
routes.  One  can  return  to  Ogden,  and  there  take 
the   Union   Pacific   Railroad,   the    straight  line  to 


38  Around  the  World. 

Omaha,  or  he  can  take  the  Denver  &  Rio  Grande 
road.  The  latter  is  the  route  I  traveled  in  the 
spring  of  1886,  and  by  so  doing  saw  some  of  the 
grandest  mountain  scenery  in  the  State  of  Colo- 
rado. Denver,  the  capital  of  this  State,  is  a 
thriving  city  of  about  seventy-one  thousand  in- 
habitants. Thirty  years  ago  it  was  a  mining 
camp,  numbering  less  than  two  thousand  souls. 
It  is  said  to  be  the  most  rapidly  growing  city  in 
America.  From  Capitol  Hill  we  had  a  fine  view 
of  the  city,  which  is  well  laid  out.  The  streets 
contain  many  substantial  buildings  and  many 
beautiful  private  residences.  The  St.  James  Hotel 
and  the  new  Opera  House  are  costly  and  elegant 
structures.  Mr.  labor,  an  enterprising  millionaire, 
has  erected  several  buildings,  at  a  cost  of  a  million 
dollars  each.  Denver  is  situated  at  an  altitude  of 
5,000  feet  above  the  sea-level ;  the  climate  is  pecu- 
liarly dry  and  healthful.  It  is  surrounded  by  a 
country  which  is  rich  in  mines  of  gold,  silver,  coal, 
iron  and  salt.  It  is  by  nature  a  railway  centre. 
At  the  present  time  there  are  eight  tracks  run- 
nine  in  different  directions,  and  there  are  more 
railroads  being  built,  which  will  pass  through 
Denver,  and  consequently  help  to  swell  the 
traffic  of  an  already  busy  city.  Much  of  her  pros- 
perity is  due  to  the  sagacity  of  her  business  men. 
Journeying  eastward  from  Denver,  we  find  our- 
selves in  a  well  improved  and  thickly  settled  farm- 


(39) 


40  Around  the  World. 

ing  country.  All  along  the  line  of  the  railroad 
are  numerous  cities  and  towns,  until  we  reach 
Topeka,  the  capital  of  Kansas.  The  next  place 
of  importance  after  leaving  Topeka  is  Kansas  City, 
in  Missouri,  which  is  also  a  great  railway  centre, 
and  is  situated  on  the  boundary  line  between  Kan- 
sas and  Missouri. 

Before  going  farther  east,  I  will  betake  myself 
to  Ogden,  and  give  a  brief  description  of  what  can 
be  seen  on  this  route,'  over  which  I  have  traveled 
three  different  times.  After  two  hours'  run  from 
Ogden,  we  enter  the  Weber  Canyon.  Here  the 
scenery  is  varied,  and  grand  to  behold.  To  the 
left  of  the  road  is  a  peculiar  wall  or  overhanging 
red  bluff.  Lofty  peaks  which  extend  heavenward 
arrest  the  eye.  But  these  are  soon  left  behind, 
and  we  come  upon  new  sights  and  scenes.  We  pass 
Echo  Canyon,  Devil's  Gate  and  Devil's  Slide  in 
swift  succession,  and  I  soon  found  myself  at  Gran- 
ger's Station,  on  the  boundary  line  of  Wyoming 
Territory.  This  station  is  the  terminus  of  the 
Oregon  Short  Line.  Here  a  traveler  for  the 
Pacific  coast  can  connect  with  the  Northern  Pacific, 
and  see  the  magnificent  scenery  in  Idaho  and 
Washington  Territory.  He  can  go  over  the  Cas- 
cade Mountains,  and  travel  along  the  Columbia 
River  to  Portland,* or  he  can  reverse  his  journey 
and  travel  eastward  and  visit  the  National  Yellow- 
stone Park,  and  thus,  by  zigzagging  around  a  few 


Highest  Railway  Elevation.  41 

hundred  miles,  can  see  some  of  the  grandest  and 
most  wonderful  scenery  in  the  world. 

Traveling  from  Granger's  Station  alone  the 
main  line  of  the  Union  Pacific,  we  arrive  in  a  short 
time  at  Sherman,  the  most  elevated  railroad  station 
on  the  continent,  having  an  altitude  of  8,235  feet. 
East  of  Sherman,  we  are  continually  passing  towns, 
cities  and  sheds,  rocky  cliffs  and  precipices,  until 
at  last  we  leave  them  all  behind,  and  descend  the 
eastern  slope  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  Arriving 
at  Cheyenne,  one  of  the  most  important  cities  of 
the  Union  Pacific,  and  the  capital  of  Wyoming,  we 
find  that  we  have  traveled  half  the  distance  between 
Ogden  and  Omaha.  Cheyenne  is  situated  on  a 
level  prairie,  and  is  quite  a  railway  terminus.  Here, 
again,  the  tourist  can  make  a  break  in  the  journey 
if  he  desires,  and  visit  Denver,  a  distance  of  106 
miles,  by  taking  the  Julesburg  short  line.  This, 
however,  I  consider  a  rather  uninteresting  route, 
as  it  runs  through  an  open  country,  destitute  of 
scenery,  or  any  particular  point  of  interest.  The 
ride  through  Nebraska  to  Omaha,  on  the  Union 
Pacific,  is  a  very  pleasant  one.  We  traverse  a 
vast  prairie,  watered  by  the  Platte  River ;  an 
apparently  endless  number  of  horses  and  cattle 
can  be  seen  roaming  at  will,  and  grazing  on  the 
plains  ;  in  the  far  distance,  one  could  occasionally 
catch  glimpses  of  herds  of  antelope  or  buffalo. 
As   we  travel  eastward,  the  towns  become  more 


42  Around  the  World. 

numerous,  the  country   more  thickly  settled,  and 
better  improved. 

Omaha,  a  busy,  bustling  railroad  centre,  is  sit- 
uated on  the  Missouri  River.  This  city  has  grown 
like  magic  in  the  last  twenty-six  years  ;  in  i860,  it 
had  only  4,000  inhabitants;  now  it  has  a  population 
of  60,000.  In  1S60,  I  crossed  the  plains  from  the 
Missouri  River  to  the  Pacific  coast  in  an  ox  team. 
This  was  my  second  journey  over  the  continent. 
What  a  contrast  between  then  and  now  !  On  these 
broad  plains  roamed  herds  of  wild  buffalo,  and 
travelers  were  always  more  or  less  at  the  mercy 
of  the  Indians,  who  attacked  the  trains  of  emi- 
grants and  were  always  making  raids  on  frontier 
settlements.  Our  train  was  called  Captain  Here- 
man's,  of  St.  Louis,  and  consisted  of  about  one 
hundred  emigrants.  We  were  attacked  by  Indians 
while  camping  near  Salt  Lake  City  ;  the  night  was 
dark,  and,  after  a  severe  conflict  and  with  the  loss 
of  two  of  our  number,  we  drove  them  off,  but 
not  until  they  had  stolen  our  stock  and  left  us 
destitute  of  teams.  We  were  obliged  to  take  our 
choice  between  traveling  on  foot  or  remainine  in 
our  wagons  and  starving.  I  was  shortly  afterward 
attacked  by  a  grizzly  bear  in  the  Sierra  Nevada 
Mountains,  and  had  a  narrow  escape.  These  are 
but  incidents  of  the  many  hardships  endured  by 
the  pioneers  of  early  days  in  their  endeavors  to 
reach  the   golden  shores  of  California.      Contrast 


Over  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad.         43 

the  difference !  •  Then  it  required  five  months  to 
make  such  a  journey,  and  the  weary,  forlorn  and 
footsore  traveler  endured  many  hardships  and 
much  privation.  Danger  was  always  staring  him 
in  the  face.  Now  the  traveler  over  the  same 
route  can  sit  in  a  palace  car  surrounded  by  many 
comforts  and  luxuries,  and  in  five  days  reach  his 
journey's  end.  The  hostile  savage  has  fled  from 
civilization,  and  the  vast  wilderness  is  filled  with 
new  life, — towns  and  cities  are  springing  up  every- 
where, the  old  hunting  grounds  have  been  con- 
verted into  well-tilled  farms,  and  the  whole  country 
bears  evidence  of  that  change  which  can  only  be 
effected  by  the  indomitable  will  and  energy  of  a 
free  people. 

I  will  now  take  the  reader  over  the  Southern 
Pacific  Railroad,  and,  when  at  my  journey's  end, 
will  have  completed  a  description  of  all  the  various 
routes  that  I  have  traveled  across  the  continent. 

This  takes  me  back  to  San  Francisco  aeain  as 
the  starting  point,  and  here  let  me  remark,  that 
the  Eastern  tourist  in  San  Francisco  will  find  many 
points  of  interest  to  visit  within  a  few  hours'  ride 
from  that  city  ;  he  will  find  much  to  see  and  admire 
at  Monterey  and  Santa  Cruz,  both  noted  watering 
places.  The  Hotel  del  Monte,  at  Monterey,  is  one 
of  the  finest  hotels  on  the  coast ;  it  is  built  in  a 
beautiful  grove  of  live  oaks.  The  grounds  are 
handsomely  laid  out,  and  the  climate  is  unsurpassed 


44  Around  the  World. 

for  mildness  and  evenness.  Many  tourists  from 
all  over  the  world  delight  in  wintering  at  this 
famous  resort.  The  Geysers,  in  Sonoma  County, 
are  a  great  natural  wonder,  and  are  visited  by  all 
travelers.  The  Big  Trees  and  Yosemite  Valley  are 
two  of  the  greatest  wonders  of  the  world.  The 
Big  Trees  are  gigantic  evergreens,  a  species  of 
redwood,  some  of  which  are  more  than  ioo  feet  in 
circumference  and  400  feet  high.  In  the  Calaveras 
grove  one  was  cut  down  which  measured  ninety-six 
feet  in  circumference  and  over  300  feet  high;  its  con- 
centric rings  showing  its  age  to  be  about  3,000  years. 
The  Mariposa  grove  contains  many  large  trees. 
The  Yosemite  Valley  is  a  remarkable  chasm,  ten 
miles  long,  and  three  miles  wide  in  its  greatest 
width,  with  perpendicular  walls  of  granite  from 
3,000  to  5,000  feet  high.  It  is  one  of  the  many 
wonders  sought  out  by  tourists  who  visit  California. 
We  start  now  on  the  Southern  Overland  for 
New  Orleans.  The  first  part  of  the  journey  takes 
us  through  the  great  San  Joaquin  Valley.  In  the 
spring-time  it  is  covered  with  fields  of  waving 
grain;  in  the  "fall,"  or  autumn,  the  broad  expanse 
of  yellow  stubble  shows  that  the  husbandman  has 
reaped  the  reward  of  his  toil.  All  along  this  val- 
ley are  numerous  small  towns  and  cities  where 
fifteen  or  twenty  years  ago  there  were  no  signs  of 
civilization.  The  broad  plains  and  fertile  valleys 
were  uncultivated  and  unappreciated.     The  Califor- 


Los  Anodes.  45 


"a 


nia  farmer  often  counts  his  acres  by  the  thousand, 
and  sometimes  by  tens  of  thousands.  Leaving  this 
fertile  valley  behind,  we  enter  a  spur  of  the  Sierra 
Nevadas,  and  cross  the  summit  at  Tehachapi,  where 
there  is  some  wonderful  railway  engineering  in 
what  is  called  "The  Loop."  We  soon  pass  over  the 
Loop,  and  reach  Mojave,  where  we  connect  with  the 
Atlantic  &  Pacific  Railroad.  This  road  runs  along 
the  southern  slopes  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains, 
and  crosses  the  Colorado  River  at  a  point  called 
the  u  Needles,"  which  are  a  peculiar  formation  of 
rock  extending  high  in  the  air  above  every  other 
object,  and  are  visible  for  a  great  many  miles. 
This  route  is  highly  praised  by  tourists  on  account 
of  the  scenery. 

At  Mojave  the  tourist  can  take  the  Atlantic  & 
Pacific  or  continue  on  with  the  Southern  Pacific 
via  Los  Angeles,  the  garden  city  of  Southern  Cal- 
ifornia. This  city  is  beautiful,  with  its  gardens 
and  orchards,  which  contain  a  remarkable  variety 
of  tropical  and  semi-tropical  fruits  and  trees. 
Amono- them  are  hundreds  of  thousands  of  oranee, 
lemon,  lime  and  fig  trees,  and  an  endless  number 
of  grape-vines.  Besides  these  are  the  pomegranate, 
the  palm,  the  cypress,  and  many  others  too  numer- 
ous to  mention.  The  public  buildings  and  the 
educational  and  religious  institutions  are  among 
the  best  in  the  State.  Five  lines  of  railroad  have 
here  a  common  centre.     The  Southern  Pacific  con- 


46  Around  the  World. 

nects  the  city  with  the  general  railway  system  of 
the  State  and  Union.  The  lines  to  Santa  Monica 
and  Wilmington  give  ready  access  to  the  ocean. 
The  facilities  for  transporting,  together  with  the 
extraordinary  fertility  of  the  soil  and  salubrious 
clime,  make  it  a  favorite  resort,  and  the  chief  centre 
of  trade  for  Southern  California.  This  city  has 
grown  rapidly  within  the  last  few  years,  and  now 
contains  nearly  50,000  inhabitants. 

From  here  we  continue  our  journey  southward, 
through  a  beautiful,  fertile  valley,  until  Colton, 
another  railway  junction,  is  reached.  Shortly  after 
leaving  here,  we  begin  to  travel  over  the  desolate 
plains  of  Southern  California  As  far  as  the  eye 
can  reach,  nothing  can  be  seen  but  sage-brush  and 
hills  and  cactus  until  we  arrive  at  Fort  Yuma,  on 
the  Colorado  River.  Near  this  river  we  crossed 
a  barren  desert,  the  surface  of  which  is  below  the 
level  of  the  sea,  and  through  which  the  railroad 
extends  a  distance  of  sixty-five,  miles.  Fort  Yuma 
is  one  of  the  hottest  places  in  the  United  States. 
The  Yuma  Indians,  however,  do  not  seem  to  mind 
the  heat ;  they  ramble  over  the  hot  sands  in  a 
costume  as  scanty  as  that  ascribed  to  Adam. 
These  indolent  fellows  exist  without  industry,  and 
appear  to  be  born  only  to  roam  and  die  in  the 
wilderness.  I  visited,  while  here,  the  United  States 
Fort  and  the  Territorial  prison.  The  latter  I  found 
well  filled  with  Arizona  criminals.      I  was  informed 


Through  ATciv  Mexico.  47 

that  very  few  of  these  culprits  live  to  serve  out  their 
sentence,  on  account  of  the  extreme  heat. 

On  our  journey  eastward,  we  cross  desert  after 
desert,  the  route  over  which  many  immigrants 
came  to  California  in  1849,  ancl  tne  years  follow- 
ing the  gold  excitement. 

The  first  town  of  importance  we  arrive  at  after 
leaving*  Fort  Yuma  is  Tucson,  the  largest  town  in 
Arizona,  and  one  of  the  oldest  in  the  United  States. 
It  lies  in  the  fertile  Santa  Cruz  Valley,  is  the  centre 
of  many  stage  routes,  and  has  an  extensive  trade 
with  the  Territory  and  Northern  Mexico.  The  pop- 
ulation numbers  about  7,000.  Many  of  the  build- 
ings are  of  adobe,  and  bear  the  marks  of  age.  In 
a  short  time  after  leaving-  Tucson,  we  reach  Benson, 
where  there  is  a  branch  railway  for  Tombstone. 
This  city  has  a  population  of  about  7,000,  and  is 
surrounded  by  rich  silver  mines.  In  a  few  hours 
after  leaving  Benson,  we  found  ourselves  in  Lords- 
burg,  New  Mexico,  also  situated  among  rich  silver 
mines.  Continuing  our  journey,  we  soon  arrive 
at  Deming,  a  general  railway  terminus,  where  the 
traveler  again  has  an  opportunity  of  choosing 
routes  for  the  East.  The  Atchison,  Topeka  & 
Santa  Fe  runs  through  an  extensive  pastoral  re- 
gion, and  intersects  the  Atlantic  &  Pacific  at 
Albuquerque.  This  route  I  have  been  over  once, 
seeing  a  diversity  of  country,  but  no  particular 
point  of  interest. 


48  Around  the  World. 

The  Southern  Pacific,  however,  is  the  route  I 
intend  to  follow  on  this  particular  journey.  After 
leaving  Deming,  we  travel  for  a  hundred  miles 
over  a  parched  and  desolate  region  in  the  southern 
portion  of  New  Mexico.  Arriving  at  El  Paso,  we 
catch  our  first  glimpse  of  Texas.  This  is  the 
largest  city  and  greatest  railway  centre  between 
Los  Angeles  and  San  Antonio.  At  El  Paso,  by 
slightly  turning  your  eyes,  you  can  view  a  State, 
a  Territory  and  another  country.  The  Rio  Grande 
River  divides  El  Paso,  in  Texas,  from  Paso  del 
Norte,  in  Old  Mexico.  Here  the  traveler  who 
is  not  pressed  for  time  has  a  fine  opportunity 
to  take  a  trip  across  the  line  and  inspect  Mexico 
and  Mexican  customs.  By  taking  the  Mexican 
Central  Railroad,  one  can  travel  through  this 
country  for  several  hundred  miles,  and  form  some- 
thing of  an  estimate  of  its  resources.  After  leav- 
ing the  thriving,  enterprising  American  city  of  El 
Paso,  and  crossing  the  river  to  the  Mexican  side, 
one  can  not  but  be  impressed  with  the  contrast. 
Everything  bears  the  impress  of  age  :  the  buildings 
are  old  and  of  rude  construction,  and  the  imple- 
ments used  in  tilling  the  soil  must  have  been 
patterned  after  those  of  the  time  of  Moses.  Not- 
withstanding the  rich  soil  and  fine  climate,  this 
slow-going  country  seems  a  hundred  years  behind 
the  times.  Ninety  miles  eastward  from  El  Paso, 
we  arrive  at  Sierra   Blanca,  where  the  Southern 


Steamboat  Racing  on  the  Mississippi.        49 

Pacific,  or  Sunset  Route,  diverges  from  the  Texas 
Pacific,  and  the  tourist  again  has  the  choice  of  sev- 
eral routes. 

Should  the  traveler  decide  to  continue  on  the 
extreme  southern  route,  he  will  travel  the  entire 
breadth  of  Texas,  see  many  of  the  principal  cities 
and  towns,  and  pass  over  the  most  cultivated  and 
fertile  portion  of  the  State.  On  tiring  of  travel 
by  rail,  he  can  take  a  steamer,  and  go  to  New 
Orleans  by  way  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  taking  in 
Louisiana,  the  land  of  cotton  and  cane  ;  and  thence 
up  the  Mississippi  to  St.  Louis,  and  in  this  way 
have  a  fine  view  of  the  numerous  plantations  that 
border  this  great  river.  I  have  journeyed  up  the 
Mississippi  twice  during  the  last  ten  years,  and, 
after  a  2,000-mile  ride  by  rail,  found  the  change  in 
scene  and  motion  quite  refreshing.  At  one  time  I 
happened  to  strike  one  of  those  exciting  steamboat 
races  so  often  pictured  on  the.  Mississippi,  and 
which  are  now  a  thing  of  the  past.  The  excite- 
ment ran  so  high  that  one  immediately  forgot  the 
danger  of  explosion,  etc.  The  two  boats  would 
travel  for  miles  at  the  top  of  their  speed,  side  by 
side,  each,  of  course,  bent  on  victory.  I  have  seen, 
when  the  excitement  was  at  its  height,  boxes  of 
bacon  thrown  into  the  furnace  for  fuel. 

Should  the  traveler  decide  in  favor  of  the  Texas 
Pacific  and  Missouri  Pacific,  he  will  also  travel 
the  entire  breadth  of  the  State,  but  further  north 


50  Around  the  World. 

than  on  the  other  road.  This  road  I  have  been 
over  several  times  on  account  of  my  landed 
interests  in  Central  Texas.  For  the  first  three 
hundred  miles  after  leaving  El  Paso,  the  road 
traverses  a  barren  country  destitute  of  any  object 
of  interest  save  the  prairie  dogs  and  antelopes. 
For  miles  along  the  road  the  plains  are  dotted 
with  cattle,  and  here  can  be  seen,  in  all  his 
glory,  the  somewhat  famous  cow-boy,  as  he  rides 
over  the  plains  on  his  prancing  pony,  sheltered  by 
a  broad-brimmed  hat  which  seems  to  have  been 
constructed  with  a  view  of  defying  the  elements,  as 
it  serves  not  only  as  a  protection  from  the  burning 
sun,  but,  as  the  seasons  change,  is  equally  service- 
able in  wind  or  rain.  For  hundreds  of  miles  along 
this  road  can  be  seen  neither  church  nor  school- 
house.  The  Police  Gazette  and  Texas  Siftings 
seem  to  be  the  cow-boy's  substitute  for  the  Bible. 
Arriving  at  Abilene,  one  of  the  largest  wool  centres 
in  the  United  States,  we  leave  the  wilderness 
behind,  and  find  ourselves  once  more  in  civiliza- 
tion, and  from  here  eastward  prosperity  and  enter- 
prise seem  the  rule  all  along  the  line  of  the  road. 
The  next  point  of  importance  reached  was  Fort 
Worth,  where  the  road  again  diverges,  and  one  can 
take  the  Missouri  Pacific,  running  up  through  the 
Indian  Territory,  and  from  thence  into  Southern 
Kansas,  and  on  to  Kansas  City  ;  but  it  is  our  inten- 
tion  to  journey  more  directly   eastward,   and   we 


Through    Texas,  Arkansas  ajid  Missouri.    51 

continue  our  route  in  that  direction  until  we  reach 
Dallas,  a  growing  town  thirty  miles  from  Fort 
Worth.  We  pass  on,  and  soon  reach  Texarkana, 
situated  on  the  boundary  line  between  Texas  and 
Arkansas,  and  here  take  our  last  glance  at  Texas, 
a  State  larger  than  several  kingdoms  in  Europe. 

Traveling  through  Arkansas  by  way  of  the  Iron 
Mountain  Railroad,  we  pass  through  a  region  of 
swamps,  cross  the  Red  River  at  Shreveport,  and  also 
pass  through  Little  Rock,  the  capital  of  the  State. 
The  main  attractions  along-  the  line  of  this  road 
were  the  negro  cabins,  corn  fields  and  cotton  plan- 
tations. Journeying  through  the  southern  portion 
of  Missouri,  we  pass  through  a  low,  swampy  region 
which  is  heavily  timbered.  Here  I  noticed  several 
saw  mills.  One  of  the  principal  points  of  inter- 
est is  the  famous  Iron  Mountain  mines.  These 
mines,  when  in  operation,  employ  several  hundred 
men.  In  this  vicinity  are  several  noted  mineral 
springs,  which  are  great  resorts  for  the  health  and 
pleasure  seeker.  In  the  direction  of  St.  Louis  our 
road  runs  along  the  Mississippi  for  some  distance. 
I  passed  over  this  route  in  the  winter  of  1884, 
which  was  a  winter  of  floods,  and  the  train  appeared 
to  be  traveling  in  water  half  the  time  ;  but,  in  a 
less  stormy  winter,  I  should  imagine  this  to  be  a 
very  pleasant  route,  as  the  climate  is  so  much 
milder  than  that  of  the  sections  traversed  by  the 
roads  running  farther  north. 


(52) 


Various  Routes  —  ATiagara.  53 


&' 


If  one  remains  over  at  St.  Louis,  he  will,  in  all 
probability,  seek  the  best  accommodations,  which  I 
found  at  the  Southern  Hotel,  the  largest  and  most 
magnificent  hotel  in  the  Southwest.  As  a  guest  I 
have  found  it  to  be  as  good  as  it  looks.  In  jour- 
neying from  St.  Louis  to  New  York,  the  traveler 
may,  with  a  slight  loss  of  time  and  a  little  round- 
about travel,  visit  all  of  the  principal  cities  in  the 
central  States.  He  can  take  in  Louisville,  Indian- 
apolis, Cincinnati  and  Chicago.  If  he  should 
become  wearied  with  mountain  scenery,  and  care 
nothing  for  the  attractions  in  the  Alleghanies,  New 
York  or  Saratoga,  he  can  visit  the  cataract  of 
Niagara,  the  grandest  waterfall  in  the  world.  The 
water  from  the  broad  basin  of  four  of  the  Great 
Lakes  here  falls  over  a  precipice  164  feet  in  height. 
One  can  pass  on  through  Canada,  and  visit  Mon- 
treal, the  chief  city  of  the  Dominion,  and,  after 
Chicago  and  Buffalo,  the  largest  in  the  St.  Law- 
rence basin.  On  leaving  here,  a  few  hours' journey 
either  by  water  or  rail  will  bring  us  to  the  busy 
city  of  Quebec,  the  capital  of  the  Province  of 
Quebec,  and  the  second  city  in  population  in  the 
Dominion.  This  city  is  noted  for  its  picturesque 
scenery  and  severe  climate.  From  here  the  tourist 
may,  if  he  desires,  embark  for  the  Old  World. 

In  1S53,  the  first  time  I  touched  American  soil, 
I  traveled  up  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  was  much  im- 
pressed   with    the    falls,    canals,   and    picturesque 


54  Around  the  World. 

scenery  along  its  shores.  From  that  day  forth  the 
writer  has  been  almost  a  constant  traveler ;  for 
only  three  years  afterward  he  joined  the  filibuster- 
ing expedition  of  General  William  Walker,  directed 
against  Nicaragua.  We  took  the  steamship  Texas 
at  New  Orleans.  After  an  adventurous  and  some- 
what stormy  career,  Walker  was  finally  captured, 
September  3,  i860,  condemned  by  a  court  martial, 
and  shot.  Some  of  his  volunteers  died,  and  others 
were  shot  by  the  natives.  Those  who  escaped  with 
their  lives  were  scattered  in  various  directions, 
some  returning  to  New  Orleans,  and  others  to  Cali- 
fornia. I  was  amontr  the  latter.  In  the  winter  of 
i860  I  returned  East.  This  was  before  the  Cen- 
tral Pacific  Railroad  was  constructed.  I  embarked 
on  the  steamship  Illinois  at  San  Francisco,  crossed 
the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  stopping  at  Acapulco  and 
Cuba.  We  had  a  calm  and  pleasant  voyage  on  the 
Pacific  side,  but  an  unusually  stormy  and  unpleas- 
ant one  on  the  Atlantic.  The  voyage  lasted 
twenty-three  days.  Thus  it  will  be  readily  seen 
that  the  writer  has  been  something  of  a  traveler 
during  the  last  thirty  years,  and  that  he  has  within 
that  time  experienced  both  pleasure  and  privation. 
Many  times  has  he  been  questioned  in  regard  to 
what  he  considered  the  most  desirable  route  to 
travel,  and  perchance  this  brief  description  of  the 
various  points  of  interest  to  be  seen  on  the  different 
highways  may  be  of  service  to  some  other  tourist. 


Summer  and   Winter  Routes.  55 

There  are  many  different  routes  and  many  dif- 
ferent modes  of  travel  over  this  continent,  and  to 
decide  for  others  as  to  what  route  would  suit  them 
best  would  be  a  hard  matter.  In  a  word,  they  are 
all  good  ;  there  is  much  of  interest  to  be  seen  on 
all  of  them.  The  season  of  the  year  would  always 
be  an  important  factor  to  be  taken  into  consider- 
ation in  making  a  choice.  The  southern  overland 
route  would  be  preferable  in  winter,  and  the  north- 
ern in  summer.  It  isn't  exactly  pleasant  to  be 
snow-bound  with  the  thermometer  below  zero  in 
the  winter,  neither  would  one  enjoy  the  extreme 
heat  of  Arizona  and  New  Mexico  in  the  summer. 


56  Around  the  World. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE   ATLANTIC    AND    THE    BRITISH    ISLES. 

I  departed  from  New  York  City  at  noon  on  the 
nth  of  August,  1885,  on  tne  steamship  Wisconsin, 
belonging  to  the  famous  Guion  line,  and  bound 
for  Queenstown.  As  we  slowly  steamed  out  of 
the  harbor,  all  hands  stood  on  deck  to  take  a  last 
look  at  the  receding  shore.  We  could  see  the 
long  wharf  lined  with  people  waving  their  last 
adieu  to  the  friends  who  were  going  far  away  to 
sojourn  for  a  season  among  another  people,  and 
in  a  foreign  land.  There  were  200  passengers  on 
board,  embracing  many  different  nationalities,  a 
variety  of  professions,  and  nearly  all  grades  of 
society,  from  a  nobleman  to  a  California  gold  dig- 
ger. Each  had  an  object  in  view;  many  were 
going  to  visit  their  friends,  to  return  to  the  home  of 
their  youth  after  a  lapse  of  many  years ;  and,  once 
again  on  terra  fir  ma,  this  motley  crowd  would 
become  scattered  from  the  Baltic  Sea  to  the  Medi- 
terranean. Others  were  going  with  a  view  of 
making  a  home  somewhere  in  Europe,  to  settle 
down  and  enjoy  the  portion  accumulated  in  Amer- 
ica ;  but,  strange  to  say,  I  was  the  only  one  in  all 


On  the  Atlantic.  57 

that   goodly  number  who   entertained  the  idea  of 
making  an  entire  circuit  of  the  globe. 

The  first  day  out  we  were  favored  with  a  calm 
sea,  and  we  found  "  a  life  on  the  ocean  wave  "  very 
enjoyable  ;  but  the  second  and  third  days  our  good 
ship  was  tossed  to  and  fro  on  the  boisterous  bil- 
lows, and,  as  a  natural  consequence,  many  of  the 
passengers  succumbed  to  that  most  disagreeable 
feature  of  ocean  travel,  sea-sickness.  At  such  time 
I  was  generally  to  be  found  on  the  hurricane  deck; 
the  fresh  salt  air  seemed  to  help  dissipate  the 
disagreeable  feeling.  The  fourth  and  fifth  days 
were  a  repetition  of  the  first.  We  sighted  several 
sailing  craft,  and  enjoyed  the  unusual  calmness 
of  the  sea.  Nearing  Newfoundland,  we  were 
enveloped  in  fog,  and  the  music  of  the  fog  whistle 
could  be  heard  every  few  minutes.  A  man  sta- 
tioned at  the  bow  was  on  a  constant  lookout,  and 
every  once  in  a  while  we  could  hear  him  sing  out, 
"All  well,  forward."  In  every  direction  now  could 
be  seen  fishing  boats,  with  their  occupants  busy 
gathering  in  the  spoils  of  the  deep.  We  also 
passed  two  dismantled  hulks,  which  caused  me  to 
ponder  on  the  possible  fate  of  their  occupants,  and 
to  wonder  if  we  were  to  be  consigned  to  the  tender 
mercies  of  old  Neptune.  On  Sunday  we  had  relig- 
ious services  on  the  quarter  deck.  It  is  the  custom 
on  English  steamers  to  hold  some  sort  of  service 
every  Sabbath.      If  there  happens  to  be  a  clergy- 


58  Around  the  World. 

man  on  board,  he  generally  conducts  the  services  ; 
if  not,  the  captain  generally  reads  a  chapter  from 
the  Bible.  On  the  seventh  day  out  we  had  a  cool 
breeze,  and  sighted  quite  a  number  of  steamers 
and  sailing  craft.  The  passengers  were  now  get- 
ting somewhat  accustomed  to  the  motion  of  the 
boat,  and  were  able  to  be  out  on  deck.  They  were 
also  becoming  well  acquainted,  and  many  differ- 
ent kinds  of  amusement  were  devised  for  passing 
away  the  time.  We  had  several  very  enjoyable 
concerts.  For  much  of  our  pleasant  times  we  were 
indebted  to  a  few  interesting  and  jolly  Philadelphia 
ladies.  On  the  eighth  day  we  were  introduced  to  a 
gale  which  watered  the  hurricane  deck,  and  sent  us 
all  back  to  bed.  We  had  no  inclination  to  venture 
out  of  our  state-rooms,  but  were  contented  with 
peeping  through  the  port-holes  at  the  storm.  On 
the  ninth  day  we  had  a  head  wind,  which  impeded 
our  progress,  and  a  defect  was  discovered  in  the 
boiler.  It  is  rather  monotonous,  I  assure  you,  to 
be  obliged  to  stop  in  mid-ocean  for  repairs.  How- 
ever, accidents  are  liable  to  occur ;  and,  if  one  is 
fired  with  an  ambition  to  travel  extensively  in 
foreign  lands,  he  must  fortify  himself  with  patience, 
courage,  endurance,  and  last,  but  not  least,  coin. 

On  the  morning  of  the  tenth  day  we  caught  our 
first  glimpse  of  the  coast  of  Ireland,  a  very  welcome 
sight  to  those  who  did  not  enjoy  ocean  travel,  and 
there  were  many.     We  cast  anchor   on  the  same 


From  Queenstown  to  Dublin.  59 

day  in  the  harbor  at  Queenstown,  3,000  miles  from 
New  York.  Queenstown  has  a  poor  harbor,  and 
heavily  laden  vessels  are  obliged  to  anchor  quite  a 
distance  from  the  shore.  Passengers  and  freight 
are  transported  to  the  mainland  in  tenders.  The 
waters  in  this  vicinity  were  dotted  with  fishing  boats, 
and  I  was  told  that  fishing  was  the  principal 
resource  of  the  people  who  live  along  this  coast. 
After  a  brief  survey  of  Queenstown,  I  was  soon  en 
route  for  Dublin.  The  entire  country  between  these 
two  places  is  densely  populated  and  well  improved. 
The  landscape,  dotted  with  cozy  homes,  and  gilded 
by  the  rays  from  an  August  sun,  was  simply  beauti- 
ful. To  a  Californian  accustomed  to  broad  fields  of 
waving  grain,  with  only  an  occasional  farm  house, 
this  door-yard  farming  seemed  very  small  business 
indeed.  Here  8,000,000  people  are  crowded  to- 
gether, and  derive  their  livelihood  from  less  than 
half  the  acreage  on  the  Pacific  slope,  which  has 
a  population  of  less  than  a  million.  But  thorough 
cultivation  and  fertilization  force  the  soil  to  yield 
to  its  utmost  capacity.  This,  combined  with  a 
diversity  of  crops,  raising  a  few  fine  sheep  and  cat- 
tle, and  the  utmost  economy  and  industry,  enables 
these  people  to  eke  out  an  existence.  In  such  a 
densely  populated  country  the  poor  have  a  hard 
time  to  exist,  and  England's  best  statesmen  have 
devoted  much  time  and  attention  to  trying  to 
adjust  the  respective  rights  and  privileges  of  land- 


60 


Around  the  World. 


lord  and  tenant.  I  hardly  consider  myself  a  prophet; 
still,  I  am  willing  to  venture  the  prediction  that  this 
generation  will  not  live  to  see  the  Irish  question 
settled.  Dublin,  the  metropolis  of  Ireland,  is  a  city 
of  about  300,000  inhabitants.  The  plan  of  the  city 
is  singularly  simple.  The  River  Liffey  flows  almost 
through  the  centre  from  west  to  east,  and  bridges 
connect'  long   lines    of  streets  running   north  and 


Dublin  from  the  Liffey. 


south.  The  communication  between  the  two  sides 
of  the  city  is  ample,  there  being  nine  bridges  in 
a  distance  of  about  a  mile  and  a  half,  and  ferries 
for  the  two  miles  of  shipping  between  the  last 
bridge  and  the  mouth  of  the  river.  Sackville 
street  is  the  finest  avenue  in  Dublin  :  the  houses, 
however,  are  not  uniform,  and  the  street  is  not  long 
enough  for  its  width  ;  while  the  Nelson  pillar,  itself 
a  beautiful  object,  blocks  the  view  and  interrupts 


In  Dublin.  61 

traffic.  On  the  other  side  of  the  Liffey,  across  the 
Carlisle  bridge,  is  Westmoreland  street,  with  the 
Bank  of  Ireland  and  Trinity  College  at  the  south- 
ern end.  At  rigfht  angles  to  Westmoreland  street 
is  Dame  street,  unquestionably  the  best  street  in 
the  city.  The  houses  are  lofty  and  massive,  and 
more  than  one  of  them  colossal.  At  one  end  is 
Dublin  Castle,  and  at  the  other,  the  great  front  of 
the  Bank  of  Ireland  and  of  Trinity  College.  The 
chief  drawback  to  Dublin  as  a  city  is  the  sudden 
transition  from  magnificence  to  meanness,  and  in 
no  part  of  it  is  there  freedom  from  this  unpleasing 
contrast.  In  addition  to  this,  the  soil  is  so  oozy 
that,  after  even  a  slight  shower,  it  is  melted  into 
far-spreading  lakes  of  mud. 

The  suburbs  of  Dublin  constitute  at  present  the 
chief  of  the  many  attractions  which  the  stranger 
is  wont  to  admire.  Dublin  is  the  seat  of  the  Irish 
courts  of  law  and  equity,  from  which  appeal  lies 
only  to  the  House  of  Lords.  The  means  of  edu- 
cation are  ample.  The  incessant  contests  between 
the  various  religious  denominations  have  had  the 
effect  of  imparting  energy  to  all  engaged  in  teach- 
ing. Dublin  has  several  noble  edifices,  the  first 
and  greatest  of  which  is  the  Bank  of  Ireland, 
formerly  the  House  of  Parliament,  which  occupies 
five  acres.  Trinity  College  is  in  itself  a  source  of 
pride  to  the  city.  Dublin  Castle,  being  built  of 
brick,  the  greater  portion  of  it  is  dingy ;  but  the 


62  Around  the  World. 

tower  and  chapel  are  handsome.  The  Custom 
House  is  considered  one  of  the  chief  ornaments  of 
the  city.  Among  the  manufactures  are  woolen 
goods,  silk  and  linen.  The  chief  articles  of  export 
are  whisky  and  the  famous  Dublin  porter. 

After  several  days  of  rambling  on  the  Isle  of  the 
Shamrock,  I  started  for  London,  by  way  of  Liver- 
pool. A  portion  of  the  distance  we  traveled  by 
rail,  and  the  remainder  of  the  journey  by  steamer. 
On  the  27th  of  August  we  anchored  inside  the 
magnificent  breakwater  at  Liverpool,  and  I  was 
soon  engaged  in  inspecting  one  of  the  largest 
shipping  ports  in  the  world.  The  commerce  of 
Liverpool  extends  to  every  part  of  the  world ; 
but  probably  the  intercourse  with  America  stands 
pre-eminent,  there  being  five  lines  of  steamers 
running  to  New  York  alone,  besides  lines  to 
many  other  American  ports.  The  leading  feature 
of  the  city  is  the  wharves  and  harbor,  and  here 
can  be  seen  the  flag  of  nearly  every  nation  on  the 
globe.  The  two  principal  railway  lines  between 
Liverpool  and  London,  a  distance  of  220  miles,  are 
the  Midland  and  the  Northwestern.  I  chose  the 
latter.  We  traveled  at  the  rate  of  sixty  miles  an 
hour,  which  was  the  fastest  riding  during  my  whole 
tour ;  and,  for  my  part,  I  do  not  care  to  repeat  the 
experience,  as  I  consider  it  too  fast  for  safety.  I 
found  the  English  railway  system  a  novel,  and,  to 
my  mind,   uncomfortable  way,  of  traveling.      I  do 


The  Prince  of  Wales  and  Family. 
(63) 


64  Around  the  World. 

not  enjoy  being  locked  up   in  a  compartment  with 
half  a  dozen  strangers. 

The  road  between  Liverpool  and  London  runs 
over  a  fertile  and  somewhat  level  country,  lined 
with  cities  and  smaller  towns,  the  whole  country 
being  densely  settled,  and  under  a  high  state  of 
cultivation  ;  and  I  was  again  face  to  face  with  a 
country  greatly  in  contrast  with  California  in  the 
size  and  cultivation  of  the  farms.  Here  we  see  what 
can  be  done  by  industry  and  thorough  cultivation; 
here  a  million  exist  with  comfort  on  an  area  which  in 
our  country  is  occupied  by  a  few  thousand.  Should 
the  traveler  prefer  mountain  scenery  to  that  of  a 
level  agricultural  district,  he  should  travel  by  the 
Midland  Railroad.  We  at  last  reach  London,  the 
metropolis  of  England,  and  the  chief  city  of  the 
British  Empire.  It  is  situated  on  both  banks  of 
the  River  Thames,  and  has  an  area  of  123  square 
miles,  and  a  population  of  about  4,000,000.  A 
detailed  description  of  the  city  would  fill  a  volume, 
and  the  books  written  upon  the  subject  are  so  numer- 
ous that  they  would  fill  a  library  many  times  over 
of  themselves.  I  will  content  myself  with  men- 
tioning a  few  of  the  principal  points  of  interest. 

I  made  Charing  Cross  Hotel  my  headquarters, 
on  account  of  its  central  location.  The  streets 
within  the  city  limits  are  in  many  cases  confused 
and  intricate  ;  and  the  total  absence  of  plan  in  the 
construction  of  the  nucleus  of   London  has  doubt- 


London.  65 

less  tended  to  aggravate  the  confusion  outside 
the  old  boundaries.  Much  of  the  effect  of  the  fine 
architecture  of  the  city's  streets  is  totally  lost  from 
promiscuous  crowding,  and  the  main  connecting 
streets  between  the  city  and  the  West  End  dis- 
play, at  certain  parts,  much  meanness  and  incon- 
gruity. Regent  street,  the  most  fashionable 
throughfare  of  London,  possesses  ample  width, 
and  the  splendor  of  its  shops  atones  to  some  extent 
for  the  plain  monotony  of  its  regular  architecture. 
In  Oxford  street,  which  ranks  next  to  it  in  impor- 
tance, there  are  many  buildings  of  a  more  orna- 
mental character.  Piccadilly,  the  eastern  half  of 
which  is  occupied  chiefly  by  shops,  and  the  western 
by  dwelling  houses  and  clubs,  is  a  medley  of  every 
species  of  architecture.  Close  to  the  most  fashion- 
able regions,  there  are  many  mean  back  streets, 
tenanted  by  workmen  ;  but  the  principal  territory 
of  the  working  classes  is  comprehended  in  the 
dense  and  dreary  districts  east  and  southeast  of 
the  city.  I  was  much  impressed  with  the  activity 
of  business.  The  confusion  of  vehicles,  such  as 
carts,  hacks,  hansoms,  wagons,  tramway  cars,  etc., 
all  combined  to  keep  up  an  incessant  din  from 
dawn  until  dark,  and  from  dark  until  dawn  again. 

The  Metropolitan  and  Metropolitan  District 
Railway  lines,  which  run  partly  under  ground,  and 
form  almost  a  complete  belt  around  the  inner  circle 
of  London,  with  several  branches  intersecting  it, 

5 


(66) 


Exhibition  of  Inventions.  67 

and  others  communicating"  with  various  suburban 
lines,  have  proved  invaluable  in  relieving  the  throng 
of  vehicles  on  the  streets,  and  in  affording  rapid 
communication  between  important  points.  I  was 
much  interested  in  this  underground  railway.  Every 
short  distance  the  cars  stop  at  a  platform  with  a 
flight  of  stairs,  upon  which  passengers  can  ascend 
to  the  street  or  descend  to  the  cars.  I  consider 
this  railway  one  of  the  greatest  and  most  useful 
enterprises  in  London. 

I  can  not  call  to  mind  any  occurrence  on 
the  whole  journey  that  gave  me  so  much  pleas- 
ure as  did  my  visit  to  the  Exhibition  of  Inven- 
tions. This  immense  building,  or  rather  series 
of  buildings,  is  filled  with  tools  and  models  of 
machinery  of  every  kind,  from  a  hand  saw  to  a 
steam  engine.  I  had  the  pleasure  of  riding  in  a 
car  run  by  electricity,  and  it  worked  like  a  charm. 
It  would  not  be  surprising  if  ere  long  many  of  the 
street  cars  in  California  should  use  electricity  for 
the  motive  power.  Nearly  every  nation  on  the 
globe  was  here  represented  by  some  invention. 
Amonor  the  exhibits  from  America  I  noticed  alar^e 
collection  of  the  celebrated  Waltham  watches. 
These  were  awarded  the  first  prize.  For  the  fee  of 
one  shilling,  we  had  access  to  all  parts  of  the  build- 
ing. The  place  was  literally  packed  with  people. 
All  nationalities  were  represented,  and  the  confused 
murmur  of  voices  reminded  me  of  the  tower  of  Babel. 


68 


Around  the  World. 


Another  place  I  visited  with  pleasure  and  profit 
was  the  Grain  Exchange,  in  Mark  Lane.  This 
might  properly  be  called  the  balance  wheel  of  the 
world's  wheat  market.  Its  movements  are  watched 
with  interest  by  farmers  in  all  parts  of  the  world. 
I  there  saw  samples  of  grain  from  nearly  all  the 
grain-growing  countries.  As  a  farmer  I  derived 
much  valuable  information  in  regard  to  the  quality 


The  Tower  of  London. 


and  production  of  different  kinds  of  grain.  Here 
could  be  seen  buyers  and  sellers  from  every  part  of 
Europe.  It  was  with  pleasure  and  satisfaction 
that  I  observed  that  our  California  wheat  stood  the 
test,  and  was  unsurpassed  in  quality  by  that  grown 
by  our  neighbors  across  the  Atlantic.  I  also  visited 
the  Crystal  Palace,  the  Tower  Water  Works  and  the 
various  parks.      Buckingham  Palace,  the  residence 


The   Tozver  of  London.  69 

of  Queen  Victoria,  occupies  the  site  of  Buckingham 
House,  purchased  by  George  III.  in  1761. 

The  Tower  of  London  is  always  a  great  attrac- 
tion to  the  traveler,  and  the  place  is  thronged  with 
people  from  morning  until  night,  each  paying  their 
penny  as  they  pass  through  the  gate.  This  tower 
was,  according  to  tradition,  originally  built  by 
Julius  Caesar  ;  but  the  nucleus  of  the  present  build- 
ing was  begun  in  1078,  by  William  the  Conqueror, 
who  erected  the  part  now  known  as  the  White 
Tower.  This  tower  was  completed  in  1098. 
Additions  were  made  at  various  periods,  and  it 
now  occupies  an  area  of  thirteen  acres,  surrounded 
by  a  moat  constructed  in  1 190.  The  new  Palace  of 
Westminster,  built  at  a  cost  of  about  ^3,000,000 
on  the  site  of  the  old  palace,  which  was  destroyed 
by  fire  in  1835,  is  a  vast  and  ornate  building  in  the 
Tudor-Gothic  style,  covering  altogether  an  area 
of  about  eight  acres.  At  the  northeast  corner  is 
the  clock  tower,  320  feet  in  height.  Above  the 
dome  over  the  central  hall  a  spire  rises  to  the 
height  of  300  feet ;  and  the  Victoria  Tower,  340 
feet  high,  surmounts  the  royal  entrance  at  the 
southwest  corner.  The  central  hall,  which  is 
entered  by  St.  Stephen's  Porch  and  St.  Stephen's 
Hall,  separates  the  House  of  Peers,  which,  along 
with  the  royal  rooms,  occupies  the  western  portion 
of  the  building,  from  the  House  of  Commons,  to 
which  the  eastern  portion  is  assigned. 


70  Around  the  World. 

The  National  Gallery  of  Paintings,  in  Trafalgar 
Square,  contains  some  of  the  finest  specimens  of 
the  English  school  of  painting,  besides  many  fine 
examples  of  the  old  masters.  St.  Paul's  Cathedral 
is  remarkable  for  its  massive  simplicity  and  beauti- 
ful proportions.  The  interior  is  imposing  from  its 
vastness.  Some  of  the  monuments  of  the  old 
building  are  preserved  in  the  crypt,  where  also  are 
the  tombs  of  many  of  England's  most  distinguished 
men.  This  cathedral  is  built  in  the  form  of  a 
Latin  cross,  the  length  being  500  feet,  and  the 
breadth  at  the  transepts  250  feet;  the  dome  rises 
to  a  height  of  365  feet,  or  of  404  feet  to  the  top  of 
the  cross  by  which  it  is  surmounted,  the  height  of 
the  interior  dome  being  225  feet.  It  can  only  be 
equaled  in  grandeur  by  the  Cathedral  of  Milan,  or 
surpassed  by  St.  Peter's,  in  Rome.  The  unique 
commercial  position  of  London,  and  its  intercourse 
with  every  quarter  of  the  globe,  have  assisted  to 
make  it  financially,  in  a  more  complete  sense  than 
it  is  commercially,  the  metropolis  of  the  world. 
The  docks  present  a  busy  scene,  and  there  can 
always  be  seen  a  host  of  vessels,  some  at  their 
moorings,  others  coming  and  going  to  and  from  all 
parts  of  the  earth.  I  also  visited  the  Bank  of 
England,  the  largest  institution  of  the  kind  in  the 
world.  Among  the  other  points  of  interest  I  found 
time  to  visit  were  the  famous  Scotland  Yards,  the 
Exchange    of   Industry,   the    imposing   statues    of 


The  Suffering  Poor. 


U 


Lords  Nelson  and  Wellington,  Cleopatra's  Needle, 
the  operas,  theatres  and  museums,  and  Madame 
Tussaud's  wax-works. 

In  so  large  a  city  as  London,  there  is  much  suf- 
fering and  distress  among  the  poorer  classes.  I 
was  told  that  a  majority  of  the  families  in  the  tene- 
ment houses  subsisted  largely  on  bread  and  ale.      If 


Westminster  Abbey. 


I  should  base  my  opinion  on  the  number  of  miser- 
able objects  I  saw  staggering  around  in  a  state  of 
intoxication,  I  would  naturally  be  led  to  the  con- 
clusion that  ale  or  intoxicating  liquor  of  some  kind 
formed  the  principal  diet  of  these  poor  creatures. 
Much  of  the  crime  committed  can  probably  be 
attributed  to  the  same  source.      It  would  require 


72  Around  the  World. 

months  to  see  all  the  sights  of  London,  or  to  get 
any  definite  idea  of  this  immense  city  ;  and,  as  my 
time  was  limited  to  a  few  days,  I  could  only  take  in 
a  few  of  the  principal  points  of  interest.  "  Hotel 
bills,  car  fare,  and  general  expenses  were  more  in 
London  than  in  any  other  place  I  visited  in  Europe. 
The  people,  with  few  exceptions,  I  found  to  be 
generous  and  obliging,  and  I  was  not  so  tormented 
with  runners,  cabmen  and  waiters  trying  to  get  a 
fee  as  in  Italy  and  other  places  on  the  Continent. 
London  alone  would  have  repaid  me  for  visiting 
England. 

The  next  place  visited  was  Glasgow.  This  city, 
after  London,  is  the  most  populous  in  Great 
Britain.  It  is  situated  on  the  banks  of  the  River 
Clyde.  Glasgow  has  been  almost  exclusively  a 
commercial  city  for  the  last  half-century,  and  has  a 
great  variety  of  manufacturing  interests.  While 
no  one  of  the  great  industries  occupies  a  position 
of  predominant  importance,  so  as  to  stamp  itself 
as  the  peculiar  characteristic  of  the  town,  there  are 
numerous  leading  departments  of  industry  which 
have  long  been  established,  and  are  prosecuted  on 
a  large  scale,  while  a  variety  of  special  manufac- 
tures have  found  their  principal  centre  in  Glasgow 
and  the  Clyde  Valley.  Ship-building  is  the  great- 
est of  all  the  industries  of  Glasgow,  and  the  posi- 
tion attained  by  the  ship-builders  of  the  Clyde  is 
a    matter    of    imperial    consequence  and    national 


Ship-building  on  the   Clyde. 


73 


pride.  In  some  years  about  half  the  total  tonnage 
built  in  the  United  Kinorlom  has  been  launched 
from  the  banks  of  the  Clyde.  The  work  turned 
out  is  very  diversified,  but,  as  a  rule,  of  the  highest 
order.  It  includes  armor-plated  and  other  vessels 
for  the  Royal  Navy ;   mail    and  passenger    ocean 


The  Old  University  of  Glasgow. 


steamers,  for  the  great  transatlantic  and  other  lines; 
river  steamboats,  famous  throughout  the  world  for 
swiftness  and  elegance  of  appointments  ;  merchant 
sailing  vessels;  dredging  plant  and  hopper  barges. 
With  the  exception  of  a  very  small  proportion  of 
wooden  vessels,  the  whole  of  the  shipping  built  on 
the  Clyde  is  of  iron  and  steel.     The  thoroughbred 


74  Around  the  World. 

cattle  I  saw  during  my  visit  to  Glasgow  were  supe- 
rior to  any  that  I  have  seen  elsewhere.      I  had  the 
pleasure    of    visiting    several    breeding   establish- 
ments, and  seeing  some  of  the  famous  Clydesdale 
horses.      I  noticed  a  vast  difference  between  these 
Scotch  steeds  and  the  horses  of  Northern  Europe. 
My  next  destination  is  France.      I  journeyed  by 
the  way  of  London  to  Dover,  which  is  about  three 
hours'  ride  from  the  metropolis,  the  road  traversing 
a   well-cultivated  and   somewhat    broken    country. 
Before  crossing  the  Channel,  I  hope  the  reader  will 
pardon  me  if  I  digress  a  little,  and  comment  again 
on  the  English  railway  system,  and  the  highly  cul- 
tivated lands  I  saw.      Perhaps  the  latter  struck  me 
more  forcibly  than  it  otherwise  would  have  done  had 
it  not  been  a  siodit  in  such  marked  contrast  to  what 
I  have  been  accustomed  to  see  at  home.      I  believe 
I  never  saw  an  acre  of  land  in   England  that  was 
not  well  and  thoroughly  cultivated.      I  suppose  this 
high  state  of  cultivation  is  necessitated  by  the  high 
rent,  which  necessarily  compels  the  tiller  of  the  soil 
to  force  the   land   to   yield  to    its  utmost  capacity. 
The  snug  and  cozy  homes,  surrounded  by  a  small 
patch  of  well-tilled  land,  all  had  an  appearance  of 
comfort  and  thrift.      The  railway  tariff  in  England 
is  rather  lower  than  in  the  United  States,  first-class 
fare   beine  about  two  cents  a  mile.      However   in- 
convenient  and  uncomfortable  the  English  railway 
system  may  appear  to  an  American,  it  is  generally 


Customs  of  the  Country.  75 

adopted  on  the  Continent,  in  India,  Australia  and 
Japan.  For  my  part,  I  did  not  admire  the  con- 
struction of  the  cars  ;  they  are  coupled  closely  to- 
gether, and  the  passenger  must  climb  in  a  side 
door,  as  there  is  no  platform  at  either  end  of  the 
car.  Each  car  is  divided  into  small  compartments, 
capable  of  holding  six  or  eight  passengers.  As  soon 
as  the  train  starts,  the  door  is  locked  until  you 
arrive  at  the  next  station.  I  sometimes  heard  peo- 
ple complain,  that  in  case  a  robbery  or  some  cr  me 
was  committed  while  the  train  was  in  motion,  one 
would  be  at  the  mercy  of  the  depredator,  as  there 
is  no  communication  between  the  different  com- 
partments. However,  the  passengers  are  not  kept 
in  "durance  vile"  for  any  great  length  of  time,  as, 
in  this  densely  populated  country,  the  distance  be- 
tween stations  is  very  short.  The  conductor  walks 
from  car  to  car  on  a  narrow  plank,  which  is  only  a 
foot  or  two  above  the  ground.  No  one  is  allowed 
to  board  the  train  while  in  motion,  and  this  rule  is 
strictly  enforced. 

Another  custom  which  appeared  odd  to  me  was 
that  of  women  acting  in  the  capacity  of  bar-tend- 
ers, at  railway  stations,  inns,  or  taverns.  Often- 
times when  stopping  at  a  station  I  would  see  a 
half-dozen  of  these  damsels  busily  engaged  in  deal- 
ing out  liquors,  coffee  and  sandwiches  to  the  hungry 
and  thirsty  crowd.  However  strange  this  may 
appear  to  a  traveler  from  the  other  side  o'f  the  At- 


V6  Around  the  World. 

lantic,  these  bar-maids  are  considered  respectable, 
and  you  never  see  any  of  them  under  the  influence 
of  liquor.  This  seems  to  be  one  of  the  old  and 
well-established  customs  of  the  country,  probably 
made  necessary  by  the  fact  that  the  women  largely 
outnumber  the  men, — more  so,  I  believe,  than  in 
any  other  country  in  Europe.  Another  point  in 
their  favor  is  that  the  amount  of  remuneration  they 
expect  to  receive  is  small,  and  they  are  generally 
more  reliable  and  attend  more  strictly  to  business 
than  the  men. 


From  Dover  to  Calais.  77 


CHAPTER  III. 

FRANCE,    SWITZERLAND    AND    AUSTRIA. 

At  Dover  I  embarked  for  Calais,  in  France,  and, 
on  arriving  there,  for  the  first  time  realized  that  I 
was  a  stranger  in  a  strange  land.  Traveling  in 
Great  Britain,  where  the  English  language  was 
continually  spoken,  I  felt  more  at  home  than  in  a 
country  where  on  either  hand  I  heard  people  talk- 
ing in  an  unfamiliar  tongue  ;  and,  as  I  had  never 
been  taught  \o  parlez  Fran?az's,  not  a  single  word 
uttered  was  intelligible  to  me.  Calais  is  a  fortress 
of  the  first  class,  and  was  formerly  a  place  of  great 
strength  ;  but  it  would  now  probably  not  be  able 
to  defend  itself  long  against  modern  artillery. 
Steamers  carrying  the  mails  cross  twice  a  day  to 
Dover,  and  return.  It  is  the  principal  landing 
place  for  English  travelers  on  the  Continent.  In 
traveling  from  country  to  country,  the  first  bus- 
iness I  found  it  necessary  to  engage  in  was  to  have 
my  money  exchanged  for  the  coin  of  the  country  I 
was  traveling  in,  as  it  is  almost  impossible  to  turn 
around  without  spending  money.  I  now  had  to 
convert  my  pounds,  shillings  and  pence  into  francs 
and  centimes ;  and  here  I  will  say  that  I  found  the 


78  Around  the  World. 

most  useful  friend  and  companion  on  a  journey 
like  mine  to  be  a  long  letter  of  credit.  In  Europe, 
Africa,  India  and  Australia,  I  found  English  coin 
preferable  to  any  other.  In  a  tour  around  the 
world  one  travels  more  in  English  territory  and  on 
English  steamers  than  on  any  other;  and,  as  En- 
glish coin  is  largely  circulated,  and  its  value  well 
known  in  the  Oriental  world,  one  is  less  liable  to 
be  swindled  by  money  exchangers  and  brokers,  in 
using  it,  than  he  would  be  if  he  was  continu- 
ally having  his  money  exchanged.  Japan  and 
the  Sandwich  Islands  are  the  only  countries  in 
which  I  found  American  money  to  be  the  most 
desirable. 

I  had  no  sooner  landed  on  French  soil  than  I 
found  myself  surrounded  by  swarms  of  guides,  or 
runners,  who  all  offered  their  services  in  a  most 
polite  manner.  It  was  "  Monsietir  this,"  and  "  Mon- 
sieur that;"  "May  I  show  you  the  cab,"  "  the 
hotels,"  ''  the  sights,"  u  attend  to  your  baggage  ;" 
and  they  even  wished  to  hang  up  my  hat.  As 
they  expect  to  be  remunerated  for  the  slightest 
service,  it  is  sometimes  preferable,  being  more 
profitable,  to  wait  upon  one's  self.  At  times  their 
officiousness  became  so  annoying  that  I  was 
tempted  to  wish  the  last  servant  out  of  sight.  On 
my  first  attempt  to  leave  Calais  for  Paris,  I  failed, 
by  some  mischance,  to  get  aboard  the  train  in  time; 
and,  as  I  saw  it  leaving  the  depot,  I   realized  that 


Paris.  79 

the  train  and  my  baggage  were  gone,  and  that  I 
was  left  behind.  As  the  train  was  not  yet  fully 
under  motion,  I  thought  I  would  try  the  American 
plan  of  running,  and  jumping  aboard  ;  but  I  was 
promptly  stopped  by  a  French  official,  who  informed 
me  that  I  must  wait  until  the  next  train.  He  was 
very  polite,  however,  and,  after  a  long  string  of 
words,  pointed  to  his  watch  and  made  me  under- 
stand that  another  train  would  soon  be  along.  In 
a  very  short  time  I  was  on  another  train,  speeding 
swiftly  along  in  the  direction  of  Paris. 

After  five  hours'  ride  over  a  beautiful  agricul- 
tural  country,  I  found  myself  in  the  gayest  city  in 
the  world.  I  first  turned  my  attention  to  my  lug- 
gage, which  was  safely  deposited  in  the  Custom 
House.  After  using  a  mixture  of  several  languages 
and  a  variety  of  signs,  and  paying  a  fee  of  one 
franc,  it  was  handed  over.  I  always  found  it  more 
convenient  and  safer  to  keep  in  close  proximity  to 
my  luggage.  My  next  step  was  to  hire  an  inter- 
preter; and  there  proved  to  be  an  abundance  of 
them,  rendering  it  unnecessary  to  go  for  them,  as 
they  always  came  to  you.  After  a  certain  amount 
of  bargaining  and  bickering,  I  agreed  to  pay  mine 
six  francs  a  day;  and  he,  in  return,  agreed  to  show 
me  all  of  the  sights  and  curiosities,  both  ancient 
and  modern,  in  the  city  of  Paris.  He  recom- 
mended himself  very  highly,  and  said  he  was  an 
expert    in    the  English  language,  and  one  of  the 


(80) 


Hotel  Life.  81 

best  guides  in  Paris.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  he 
spoke  about  ten  per  cent.  English,  and  the  balance 
French. 

He  first  piloted  me  to  an  hotel  of  his  own  choos- 
ing, which  bore  the  name  of  Hotel  de  Strasbourg. 
The  host  was  French,  and  so  were  the  guests.  My 
breakfast  was  served  at  eight  o'clock  in  my  room, 
lunch  at  one,  and  dinner  at  from  seven  to  eight. 
We  had  every  imaginable  dainty  from  a  horse  to  a 
hare ;  the  tables  were  resplendent  with  silver  and 
glassware,  the  waiters  were  polite  and  attentive ; 
and  the  spacious  dining  hall,  lighted  by  electricity, 
in  the  evening  presented  a  brilliant  scene.  The 
waiters  always  expect  to  be  "tipped,"  especially  by 
American  travelers.  The  cafes  in  the  boulevards, 
I  found  to  be  one  of  the  most  interesting  features 
of  Paris.  Here  are  tables  strung  out  along  the 
sidewalks  the  length  of  several  blocks,  where  the 
Parisian  men  and  women  sit  and  sip  their  wine, 
apparently  oblivious  to  the  crowd  around  them.  If 
one  should  sit  down  at  one  of  these  tables  and  call 
for  coffee  instead  of  wine,  they  would  be  served 
with  black  coffee  in  a  wine-glass,  and  then  be  pro- 
vided with  another  glass  filled  with  brandy  to  mix 
with  the  coffee. 

Among  some  of  the  first-class  restaurants  are  the 

Cafe  Americaine,  on  the  Boulevard  des  Capucines ; 

Anglo-Americaine,  Ruede  la  Chausseed'Antin;  and 

the  Grand  Hotel,  near  the   Louvre.      Hotel  rates 

6 


82  Around  the  World. 

vary  from  one  franc  and  fifty  centimes  to  five  francs, 
according"  to  the  bill  of  fare  and  hour  of  meals.  It 
is  generally  well  to  make  a  bargain  beforehand 
with  landlords,  guides  and  cabmen,  as  there  seems 
to  be  a  tendency  among  all  of  them  to  fleece 
strangers,  especially  Americans.  The  principal 
mode  of  traveling  between  different  portions  of  the 
city  is  by  cabs,  omnibuses  and  tramways.  The 
tops  of  the  coaches  have  comfortable  seats,  and 
about  as  many  passengers  ride  outside  as  inside. 
The  tramway  fare  is  thirty  centimes,  or  six  cents 
for  an  inside  fare,  and  about  half  that  amount  for 
an  outside  fare. 

The  grandest  of  all  the  grand  sights  which  I  saw 
in  Paris  was  the  Palace  of  the  Louvre.  This  is 
occupied  by  the  richest  museum  in  the  city.  On 
the  ground  floor  are  museums  of  ancient  sculpture. 
There  can  be  seen  such  treasures  as  the  Venus  of 
Milo  and  the  Pallas  of  Velletre,  the  most  beautiful 
of  all  statues  of  Minerva.  Special  rooms  are  de- 
voted to  early  Christian  monuments  and  Jewish 
antiquities.  On  the  first  floor  there  is  a  magnifi- 
cent collection  of  pictures,  furniture,  drawings,  pot- 
tery, terra-cotta  ware  ;  as  well  as  objects  in  bronze, 
glass  and  ivory.  The  second  floor  accommodates 
the  naval  museum,  part  of  the  French  school  of 
painting,  and  rooms  for  the  study  of  Egyptian 
papyrus-rolls.  The  Luxembourg  Palace  has  a  free 
museum  containing  one  of  the  finest  art  collections 


lTlljfrrni|:!i|ijiiim|iiiiiii|!|mii|mmi|!(ir{'| 


(83) 


84  Around  the  World. 

in  France,  and  the  grounds,  comprising  eighty-five 
acres,  are  laid  out  in  beautiful  gardens. 

Paris  has  about  sixty  theatres,  of  which  the 
Grand  Opera  House,  or  National  Academy  of 
Music  and  Dancing,  is  the  largest  and  most  beau- 
tiful. This  magnificent  structure  covers  two  and 
three-fourths  acres,  and  is  the  finest  in  the  world. 
The  next  place  I  had  my  guide  point  out  to  me 
was  the  Place  de  la  Concorde.  This  occupies 
rather  an  elevated  situation,  and  Paris  can  be  seen 
in  almost  every  direction.  The  chief  point  of 
interest  in  the  square  is  eight  imposing  statues 
representing  the  chief  towns  of  France.  From  the 
centre,  where  stands  the  Cleopatra  Needle,  many 
of  the  most  imposing  edifices  of  Paris  can  be  seen. 
One  has  a  fine  view  of  the  Chamber  of  Deputies, 
the  Madeleine  and  the  River  Seine.  The  Palace 
of  Trocadero,  which  was  built  for  the  exhibition  of 
1878,  also  occupies  an  elevation  on  the  right  bank 
of  the  Seine.  The  central  rotunda  contains  the 
largest  music  hall  in  Paris,  and  a  colossal  organ. 
It  will  hold  15,000  auditors.  An  exceedingly  fine 
view  of  the  city  and  the  suburbs  can  be  had  from 
the  dome. 

The  Champs-Elysees  is  an  attractive  promenade, 
lined  with  elm  and  lime  trees.  The  Elysees  Palace, 
in  the  Champs-Elysees,  is  a  vast  edifice,  built  in 
modern  style,  and  is  the  residence  of  the  President 
of    the    French    Republic.     The    Palais    Royal    is 


(85) 


** 


86  Around  the  World. 

also  a  favorite  place  of  resort,  both  for  the  Parisian 
and  the  tourist.  The  court  and  square  are  lined 
with  shops,  which  present  a  most  brilliant  display 
in  jewelry  and  every  variety  of  trinkets.  At  night 
these  arcades  are  a  blaze  of  light,  and  presented 
one  of  the  most  magnificent  sights  of  my  whole 
journey. 

My  guide  now,  for  a  change  of  scene,  piloted  me 
across  the  River  Seine.  This  beautiful  river  flows 
for  seven  miles  through  Paris,  and,  as  it  enters  and 
as  it  leaves  the  city,  it  is  crossed  by  a  viaduct,  used 
by  the  circular  railway  and  by  ordinary  traffic. 
That  of  Point  de  Jour  has  two  stories  of  arches. 
Two  bridges,  the  Pont  des  Arts  and  the  Passerelle 
de  Passy,  are  for  foot  passengers  only,  all  the  others 
being  used  for  carriages  as  well.  The  most  fa- 
mous of  all  these  bridges  is  the  Pont  Neuf,  the 
two  portions  of  which  rest  on  the  extremity  of  the 
island  called  La  Cite,  where  the  river  is  at  its  wid- 
est (961  feet).  On  the  embankment  below  Pont 
Neuf  stands  the  statue  of  Henry  IV.  Between 
La  Cite  and  the  left  bank  the  width  of  the  lesser 
channel  is  reduced  to  161  feet.  La  Cite  also  com- 
municates with  the  right  bank  by  the  bridges  of 
Notre  Dame  and  Au  Change  ;  with  the  left  bank, 
by  that  of  Archeveche,  the  so-called  Pont  au 
Double,  the  Petit  Pont  and  the  Pont  St.  Michel. 
The  banks  of  the  Seine  are  lined  with  palaces  and 
mansions,  the  water  is  dotted  with  boats  of  every 


Napoleon  —  Admiral  C our  bet.  87 

description,  and  its  numerous  bridges  are  con- 
stantly thronged  with  people. 

I  visited  the  tomb  of  the  first  Napoleon.  This 
grand  memorial  is  placed  in  the  Church  of  the  In- 
valides  ;  a  stately  dome  is  erected  over  the  sarcoph- 
agus which  contains  his  remains,  and  over  the 
entrance  is  this  inscription  (taken  from  his  will)  : 
lt  It  is  my  wish  that  my  ashes  may  repose  on  the 
banks  of  the  Seine,  in  the  midst  of  the  French  peo- 
ple, whom  I  have  loved  so  well."  In  various  parts 
of  the  city  there  are  magnificent  statues  represent- 
ing Napoleon  on  horseback. 

While  in  Paris  I  attended  the  funeral  services  of 
Admiral  Courbet,  who  died  in  China,  and  whose  re- 
mains were  brought  to  Paris  for  burial.  The 
funeral  was  almost  as  imposing  as  that  of  General 
Grant,  which  I  had  attended  in  New  York  City. 
In  fact,  this  Admiral  was  almost  as  famous  in 
France  as  General  Grant  was  in  America.  One  of 
his  latest  deeds  of  prowess  in  the  French  Navy 
was  to  sink  eleven  ships  in  the  China  Sea  in  about 
as  many  minutes.  In  return  for  this  friendly  act 
the  Emperor  of  China  offered  a  reward  of  $100 
for  the  head  of  every  Frenchman  sent  him.  The 
majority  of  my  readers  will  call  to  mind  the  brief 
Franco-China  conflict  that  occurred  a  few  years 
ago.  Since  then  travel  in  the  interior  of  China 
has  been  considered  unsafe  for  Europeans,  espe- 
cially Frenchmen. 


•vs  Around  the  World. 

The  largest  and  finest  religious  building  in  Paris 
is  the  Cathedral  of  Xotre  Dame.  The  attractions 
and  places  of  interest  worthy  of  attention  are  so 
numerous  that  it  would  require  more  time  than  I 
had  then  to  see,  or  have  now  to  describe,  them.  I 
certainly  saw  people  dressed  more  elegantly  and  in 
more  fashionable  attire  than  I  ever  saw  before  or 
since.  One  of  the  happiest  thoughts  of  my  visit 
to  this  great  city  was  that  there  seemed  to  be  more 
wealth  and  less  poverty  than  in  any  other  city 
visited  by  me.  Considering  the  fact  that  I  was  a 
stranger  to  both  the  customs  and  the  language  of 
the  French  people,  my  stay  in  Paris  was  a  very 
enjoyable  one,  and  I  hope,  some  day  in  the  near 
future,  to  revisit  this  charming  city.  I  agree  with 
other  travelers,  that  the  Parisians  deserve  the  repu- 
tation they  have  long  enjoyed  of  being  the  politest, 
gayest  and  most  fashionable  people  in  the  world. 

On  leaving  Paris,  I  boarded  the  cars  for  Berne, 
in  Switzerland.  On  this  route  we  passed  many 
towns  and  cities.  We  journeyed  over  a  rolling 
country;  the  soil  was  fertile,  and  vegetation  every- 
where luxuriant.  The  land  was  planted  principally 
to  grape-vines  and  vegetables,  and  had  very  much 
the  appearance  of  a  garden.  No  matter  in  what 
direction  you  travel  in  France,  you  find  a  lovely 
country,  a  pleasant  climate  and  a  hospitable  and 
polite  people.  On  every  side  can  be  seen  evidence 
of  the  thrift  and  industry  of  the  French  people, — 


Switzerland.  89 

well    cultivated    fields    and    cozy  and    comfortable 
homes. 

Arriving1  at  the  end  of  the  French  Division,  we 
found  ourselves  at  the  city  of  Wilhausen,  which  is 
near  the  border  line  between  France  and  Switzer- 
land. Continuing  our  journey  over  a  beautiful 
country,  we  arrived  at  the  city  of  Basel,  the  second 
largest  city  in  Switzerland,  situated  on  the  banks 
of  the  Rhine.  Its  inhabitants  are  largely  engaged 
in  the  manufacture  of  silk 

Switzerland  is  chiefly  a  land  of  mountains,  and 
is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  countries  on  the 
globe  for  its  magnificent  and  picturesque  scenery. 
The  higher  Alps  rise  to  a  distance  of  from  S.oooto 
15,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  are  cov- 
ered with  perpetual  snow.  The  glaciers  of  Switz- 
erland are  the  reservoirs  which  feed  some  of  the 
largest  rivers  of  Western  Europe.  No  country 
possesses  greater  interest  for  geologists.  To  the 
tourist  it  presents  a  great  abundance  of  natural 
curiosities.  There  are  many  points  of  view 
whence  the  semicircular  array  of  Alpine  peaks 
presented  at  once  to  the  eye,  extends  for  more  than 
a  hundred  and  twenty  miles,  and  comprises  between 
two  and  three  hundred  distinct  summits  capped 
with  snow,  and  bristling  with  bare  rocks.  Of  the 
heights  commanding  such  Alpine  panoramas,  the 
Righi  is  probably  the  finest,  as  it  certainly  is  one 
of  the  most  accessible. 


90  Around  the  World. 

Switzerland  has  numerous  waterfalls.  The  fall 
of  the  Rhine  deserves  the  first  rank  on  account  of 
the  volume  of  water  ;  but  it  is  rather  a  cascade 
than  a  cataract,  as  it  lacks  height.  There  are 
many  other  celebrated  falls.  The  principal  and 
most  interesting  of  the  Swiss  Alpine  passes  are 
the  Simplon,  the  St.  Gothard,  the  Splugen  and  the 
Bernardin,  both  as  regards  their  scenery  and  the 
magnificent  and  skillfully  constructed  carriage 
roads  which  have  been  made  over  them.  Switzer- 
land contains  a  considerable  number  of  lakes, 
among  the  most  important  of  which  are  Lakes 
Geneva,  Lucerne  and  Zurich.  In  many  places 
we  see  the  land  cultivated  clear  to  the  hill-tops. 
The  mountain  side  is  dotted  with  cottages,  and  one 
is  almost  inclined  to  wonder  that  the  houses  built 
upon  these  steep  slopes  do  not  roll  off  into  the 
gulch  below. 

On  August  27  we  arrived  at  Berne,  the  third  city 
in  size,  and  the  capital  of  Switzerland.  It  is  sur- 
rounded by  vineyards,  and  has  a  mild,  balmy  cli- 
mate and  a  rich  soil.  Berne  is  an  old  city,  and  its 
architecture  is  certainly  odd  as  well  as  old.  The 
houses  are  chiefly  constructed  of  stone  or  granite, 
as  this  is  a  region  of  quarries,  and  this  material  is 
both  cheap  and  plentiful.  Many  of  the  houses 
have  broad  porches  which  project  over  the  sidewalk 
below.  This  gives  the  streets,  which  are  narrow, 
a  somewhat  gloomy  appearance.     One  of  the  chief 


Berne  —  Aar.  91 

attractions  of  the  city  is  the  number  of  playing 
fountains.  These  are  ornamented  with  bears' 
heads  and  various  other  figures.  Berne  is  also 
quite  a  manufacturing  centre,  and  a  large  number 
of  watches  and  toys  are  manufactured  here.  I 
visited  several  establishments,  and  found  the  greater 
proportion  of  the  operatives  to  be  women.  There 
are  also  several  lar^e  mills  driven  with  water- 
power  derived  from  the  River  Aar.  This  swiftly 
flowing  stream  runs  through  the  lower  portion  of 
the  city. 

The  people  chiefly  spoke  the  German  language. 
This  language  I  found  easier  to  understand  without 
an  interpreter  than  any  other.  The  people  were 
apparently  kind  hearted  and  good  humored  ;  the 
hotel  bills  and  servants'  fees,  the  most  moderate  of 
any  place  on  the  Continent.  Five  francs,  or  one 
dollar,  per  day,  is  all  the  first-class  hotels  charge. 
Here,  again,  I  saw  women  acting  as  bar-keepers, 
porters  and  waiters  in  the  public  houses.  On 
many  occasions  they  have  come  into  my  room  at 
dawn  of  day,  got  my  shoes,  and  given  them  a  fine 
polishing.  It  was  something  of  a  novelty  to  me 
to  have  my  shoes  blacked  by  a  rosy-cheeked 
maiden.  I  also  visited  Aar,  another  interesting 
city.  It  is  surrounded  by  grand  and  picturesque 
scenery.  This  ended  my  first  visit  to  Switzerland, 
the  playground  of  Europe.  I  returned,  however, 
three  months  later,  after  I  had  made  the  circuit  of 


92  Around  the  World. 

the  Continent.  The  incidents  of  that  visit  to  this 
interesting  republic  I  will  briefly  mention  in  another 
chapter. 

LETTER   FROM   SWITZERLAND. 

Special  Correspondence  Modesto  Herald. 

Berne,  Switzerland,  Sept.  i,  1885. 

This  time  I  will  only  have  room  to  give  you  a  glimpse  of  the  outline  of 
my  trip  since  I  left  Modesto.  I  have  been  in  constant  motion  from  rail  to 
steamer,  and  from  steamer  to  rail,  until  I  have  traveled  over  nine  thousand 
miles,  and  I  have  only  made  a  good  beginning  of  my  tour  around  the  globe 

I  steamed  out  of  the  Golden  Gate  on  the  27th  of  July  for  Portland,  Oregon, 
800  miles  on  that  coast.  The  Pacific  was  not  pacific,  as  was  noticed  by  so 
many  passengers  feeding  the  fishes, — myself  included.  Portland,  twelve 
miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  Willamette  River,  is  a  stirring  city  of  40,000 
inhabitants.     Ships  are  seen  along  the  wharves  loading  wheat  for  Europe. 

From  Portland  I  left  by  the  express  train  for  St.  Paul,  on  the  Northern 
Pacific  Railroad,  and  soon  found  myself  hurried  over  the  Cascade  Mountains 
into  Eastern  Oregon.  Cascades  along  the  Columbia  River  have  the  grandest 
scenery  in  the  West.  At  Wallula  Junction  I  crossed  the  boundary  line  into 
Washington  Territory,  where  I  traveled  for  100  miles  ;  but,  after  leaving  the 
Snake  River,  the  land  seemed  unimproved  and  barren  of  vegetation  until  I 
got  to  the  Idaho  line.  Spokane  Falls  is  the  largest  and  one  of  the  most 
important  places  in  Washington  Territory.  I  crossed  the  corner  of  Idaho 
for  eighty  miles,  and  found  it  thickly  timbered,  and  adapted  more  for  grazing 
than  grain  growing.  We  next  moved  into  Montana,  the  finest  stock 
country  on  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad.  At  Heron  we  entered  the  slopes 
of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  the  scenery  was  imposing  when  viewing  those 
towering  peaks  and  glittering  streams.  Helena,  the  capital,  is  a  flourishing- 
city  of  10,000  inhabitants,  located  near  the  headwaters  of  the  Missouri 
River,  and  surrounded  by  mountains  pointing  to  the  skies.  East  of  Helena 
I  was  much  impressed  with  the  extensive  grazing  valleys,  green  meadows 
and  gravelly  hills.  At  Livingston  we  left  the  main  line  for  Yellowstone 
Park.  Here  I  met  tourists  from  many  parts  of  the  globe,  investigating  the 
grandest  pyramidic  sights  in  the  world.  Even  here  in  Switzerland  I  haven't 
seen  anything  to  compare  with  it.  I  now  resume  my  journey  on  the  main 
line.  Glendive,  an  important  trading  post,  is  the  last  station  in  sight  after 
traveling  800  miles, — the  extreme  length  of  Montana.  The  iron  horse  has 
now  sent  me  across  the  boundary  line  into  Dakota.     Medora  is  the  first  sta- 


Letter  from  Szuitzerland.  93 

tion  in  sight  from  here  for  fifty  miles.  The  soil  is  of  all  varieties  and  colors, 
called  the  bad  lands,  and  presents  an  interesting  appearance  to  sight-seers. 

The  next  important  station  we  passed  was  Dickson,  located  in  a  fine 
grazing  region.  It  also  had  the  appearance  of  a  good  game  region,  from 
the  variety  of  stuffed  deer  and  wolves  in  sight  and  for  sale  at  the  depot.  On 
the  east  bank  of  the  Missouri  stands  Bismarck,  the  capital  of  Dakota. 
From  here  on  to  the  Minnesota  line,  Dakota  made  a  favorable  change  to  a 
level,  productive  farming  country,  but  barren  of  timber  along  the  line.  The 
main  attraction  in  Dakota  was  the  large  Dalrymple  farm,  with  75,000  acres 
under  cultivation.  This  reminded  me  of  our  extensive  farming  in  California, 
— the  garden-spot  of  the  earth,  on  account  of  her  even  climate  and  natural 
resources.  Moorhead,  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  was  the  first 
glimpse  of  Minnesota,  after  traveling  350  miles  through  Dakota.  This 
great  green  State  showed  signs  of  wealth  and  prosperity  by  the  many 
improved  farms,  especially  in  the  Red  River  Valley  ;  and,  were  it  not  for  its 
high  latitude,  Minnesota  would  equal  any  State  in  the  Union. 

I  soon  found  myself  in  Minneapolis,  the  Queen  City  of  the  Northwest, 
with  a  population  of  125,000,  and  the  largest  milling  point  in  the  world.  St. 
Paul,  the  same  size  as  Minneapolis,  is  also  a  great  city,  with  its  large  whole- 
sale houses,  and  has  the  largest  hotels  north  of  Chicago. 

From  here  I  resumed  my  journey  to  Wisconsin,  where  I  made  a  brief 
stay  among  old  friends.  Thence  to  New  York  City,  via  Washington  City  and 
Philadelphia,  where  I  inspected  the  United  States  Mint,  and  the  seat  of  our 
government.  I  arrived  in  New  York  August  8,  in  time  to  take  a  part  in  Gen- 
eral Grant's  funeral  procession, — the  most  imposing  affair  of  the  kind  ever 
known  in  America.  After  looking  over  New  York,  with  its  million  and  a 
half  inhabitants,  and  thickly  planted  with  houses  for  twelve  miles,  from 
Harlem  River  to  Castle  Garden,  I  left  the  harbor  on  the  nth  of  August,  on 
board  the  steamship  Wisconsin,  for  Queenstown,  with  about  200  fellow- 
passengers  of  different  nationalities, — all  going  to  Europe  to  enjoy  the  bene- 
fits of  the  portions  they  had  accumulated  in  America.  After  eleven  days,  in 
which  we  had  journeyed  3, ego  miles  over  the  stormy  Atlantic,  I  found 
myself  safely  landed  in  the  Old  World.  Since  that  I  have  visited  Ireland, 
England  and  France.  Have  spent  the  most  of  my  time  in  London  and 
Paris  ;  but  I  am  now  among  the  lofty  mountains  of  Switzerland.  From  here 
I  am  going  to  Vienna,  and  so  on  until  I  have  been  over  the  whole  Continent 
of  Europe. 

Notwithstanding  the  difficulties  I  have  met  with  in  contending  with 
strange  tongues,  and  being  a  stranger  in  strange  lands,  I  have  enjoyed  my 
trip  to  the  fullest  extent,  and  all  the  objects  of  interest  in  this  realm  I  will 
speak  of  more  particularly  in  my  next.  Osmun  Johnson, 


94  Around  the  World. 

I  next  visited  Bavaria.  Arriving  at  Boden  See, 
a  beautiful  lake  situated  between  Switzerland  and 
Bavaria,  I  embarked  on  one  of  the  small  steamers 
that  traverse  the  lake.  This  boat  was  crowded 
with  tourists  of  various  nationalities,  all  intent  on 
pleasure  and  sight-seeing.  On  this  boat  I  partici- 
pated in  one  of  the  biggest  dinners  I  had  spread 
before  me  while  in  Europe  ;  it  consisted  of  thirteen 
courses,  and  would  have  satisfied  the  most  fastid- 
ious epicure.  After  steaming  across  the  Boden 
See,  I  landed  in  Lindau,  a  beautiful  pleasure  resort, 
surrounded,  on  one  side,  by  picturesque  mountain 
scenery,  and,  on  the  other,  by  the  waters  of  the 
lovely  lake.  The  streets  are  crooked  and  narrow, 
and  the  inhabitants  slow-going  and  easy.  The  low 
stone  buildings  have  an  ancient  appearance. 

After  a  brief  stay  in  Bavaria  I  made  preparations 
to  visit  Austria.  After  passing  the  town  of  Blu- 
dens,  we  began  to  gradually  ascend  a  lofty  range 
of  the  Alps,  where  the  scenery,  for  sublimity  and 
grandeur,  exceeded  anything  I  have  seen.  Noth- 
ing in  the  Sierra  Nevadas  or  Rocky  Mountains  can 
begin  to  compare  with  it.  Among  the  higher 
peaks  from  which  we  obtained  a  fine  view  were 
Katzencliff,  Davena  and  Racier.  These  snow- 
capped  peaks  tower  for  thousands  of  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea.  As  the  train  wound  its  way  up 
the  steep  and  narrow  grade,  a  glance  out  of  the 
car  window  almost  made  one  shiver  ;  on  every  side 


Austria.  95 

were  deep  gulches,  steep  cliffs  and  crags.  The 
engineering  on  this  road  is  a  magnificent  piece  of 
work.  Tunnels  are  numerous,  and  many  of  them 
difficult  to  construct.  The  longest  one,  called 
Alberg,  requires  twenty  minutes  to  pass  through. 

Every  little  while  we  would  pass  small  patches 
of  land  cultivated  by  the  industrious  peasants,  who 
know  nothing  else  but  work.  Here  the  women 
work  in  the  field,  and  do  all  kinds  of  manual  labor. 
By  close  economy  and  untiring  industry  these  poor 
people  manage  to  exist.  One  suit  of  homespun 
clothes  for  Sunday  wear,  is  supposed  to  last  a  man 
a  lifetime.  They  are  always  worn  on  holidays  and 
on  all  ceremonious  occasions,  when  they  are  deco- 
rated with  ancient  jewelry  which  has  been  handed 
down  from  generation  to  generation. 

We  soon  arrived  at  Innsbruck,  where  we  changed 
cars  for  Kufstein  and  Salzburg,  where  the  road 
skirted  the  shore  of  a  little  lake,  partly  enclosed  by 
rugged  hills.  From  here  the  road  traverses  the 
level  valleys  of  Austria,  which  seemed  to  be  devoted 
to  agriculture.  I  often  saw  women  plowing  in  the 
field  with  a  team  composed  of  a  horse,  steer  and 
cow.  The  grain  is  cut  and  threshed  principally 
with  hand  tools.  Very  little  machinery  is  used  or 
seen  in  these  districts,  and  the  farms  in  these 
tucked-up  kingdoms  of  Europe  have  the  appear- 
ance of  paddocks  to  one  acquainted  with  the  vast 
grain  fields  of  California,  where  machinery  is  used 


96  Around  the  World. 

exclusively  in  the  cultivation  of  the  soil  and  the 
harvesting  of  the  crops.  Here  in  the  whole  realm 
main  strength  and  stupidity  seemed  to  be  the  mo- 
tive power. 

I  arrived  in  Vienna  on  September  5.  It  is  a  dis- 
tance of  600  English  miles  from  Paris  to  this  city. 
I  must  confess  that  it  was  a  rather  uncomfortable 
journey.  The  cars  were  constructed  on  the 
English  plan,  and  I  never  quite  enjoyed  being 
locked  up  in  these  small  compartments,  with  three 
or  four  strangers  in  such  close  proximity.  I  have 
already  praised  the  American  system,  which  I  con- 
sider the  most  comfortable  in  the  world.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  European  conductor  is  a  much 
more  civil  individual  than  his  American  contem- 
porary ;  he  will  answer  questions  freely  and  politely, 
and  will  talk  to  a  stranger  like  any  other  mortal. 
On  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic,  the  average  con- 
ductor prides  himself  on  his  gruffness  and  individu- 
ality. 

Vienna,  one  of  the  most  interesting  and  enter- 
prising cities  in  Europe,  is  situated  in  a  fertile 
plain  on  the  southernmost  branch  of  the  Danube. 
The  great  bulk  of  the  population  consists  of  Ger- 
man Roman  Catholics  ;  but  all  nationalities  and 
denominations  are  represented.  Vienna  is  divided 
into  the  old  city,  which  is  nearly  encircled,  and 
about  three  miles  in  circumference,  and  the  new 
city,   consisting  of    thirty-four  suburbs.     The   old 


Vienna.  97 

city  was,  up  to  1858,  surrounded  by  a  deep  fosse, 
and  high  walls  with  projecting  bastions,  which,  in 
later  times,  served  as  terrace  walks  ;  but  these  forti- 
fications have,  in  a  great  measure,  long  since  been 
filled  up  or  leveled,  thus  enlarging  the  glacis,  a 
broad  and  pleasant  esplanade,  by  which  they  were 
encircled,  and  separated  from  the  suburbs.  Of  the 
numerous  gates  which  formerly  led  from  the  old 
city  to  the  suburbs,  the  Burgthor  (castle  or  palace 
gate)  is  justly  celebrated. 

In  the  arrangement  of  its  streets,  Vienna  has 
been  compared  to  a  spider's  web,  the  principal 
thoroughfares  radiating  from  a  central  point  near 
the  Cathedral  of  St.  Stephen,  to  the  bastions 
across  the  glacis,  and  through  the  suburbs  to  the 
outer  lines,  and  being  intersected  by  numerous 
minor  streets  and  alleys.  Contrary  to  the  general 
rule  in  modern  cities,  the  old  part  of  the  town  is 
the  more  fashionable  of  the  two.  It  has  narrow 
streets,  mostly  lined  with  lofty  houses,  but  also 
some  splendid  squares,  and  contains  the  oldest 
churches  and  the  palaces  of  the  emperor  and  the 
highest  nobility. 

The  Hofplatz  (court  square)  has  a  colossal 
statue  of  the  Virgin,  and  two  fountains  ;  the  Joseph- 
platz,  an  equestrian  statue  of  the  Emperor  Joseph 
I.  The  square  called  Freiung  contains  a  beautiful 
fountain  with  five  bronze  figures  representing  Aus- 
tria and  her  four  principal  rivers.  The  Graben, 
7 


98  Around  the  World. 

near  the  centre  of  the  city,  has,  among  other  orna- 
ments, a  beautiful  column  in  honor  of  the  Trinity. 
The  Graben  and  the  Kohlmarkt,  a  street  leading 
from  it  to  the  imperial  palace,  contains  the  finest 
shops.  The  Imperial  Library,  a  handsome  build- 
ing on  the  Josephplatz,  contains  upward  of  350,000 
volumes,  and  about  300,000  engravings,  the  largest 
and  finest  collection  of  the  kind  in  the  world.  It 
also  contains  numerous  and  valuable  curiosities. 

The  most  conspicuous  and  most  interesting 
church  in  Vienna  is  the  Cathedral  of  St.  Stephen, 
considered  by  many  to  be  the  finest  specimen  of 
Gothic  architecture  on  the  globe.  It  was  begun 
five  centuries  ago  ;  but  the  two  turrets  flanking  the 
west  portal,  called  the  Giant  gate,  are  the  remains 
of  a  church  built  two  hundred  years  earlier.  The 
length  of  the  cathedral  is  345  feet,  its  breadth  230 
feet.  Its  steeple  is  a  masterpiece  of  architecture, 
and  is  444  feet  high.  The  largest  bell,  cast  from 
hundreds  of  cannon  taken  from  the  besieging 
Turks  in  1683,  weighs  380  hundred  weight.  The 
view  from  the  steeple  extends  over  the  Danube, 
and  many  old  battle-fields,  also  a  number  of  pal- 
aces, gardens  and  bathing  establishments. 

Vienna  has  extensive  manufactories.  I  visited 
several  of  them,  including  the  extensive  fan  fac- 
tory carried  on  by  Mr.  Grunbaum,  brother  of  our 
Modesto  merchant,  B.  Grunbaum.  Here  they  em- 
ployed 300  operatives,  men  and  women,  who  were 


Life  in  Vienna.  99 

busily  engaged  in  manufacturing  fancy  fans,  which 
are  exported  to  all  parts  of  the  world.  I  am  much 
indebted  to  Mr.  Grunbaum  for  his  kindness  in 
piloting  me  through  the  bustling  city,  and  pointing 
out  many  of  the  principal  points  of  interest,  among 
others  the  Grand  Opera  House,  erected  in  place  of 
the  one  burned  down  seven  years  ago.  The  ma- 
jority of  my  readers  will  remember  when  the  news 
of  this  terrible  catastrophe  was  telegraphed  to  all 
parts  of  the  world,  and  of  the  sad  fate  of  the 
thousands  of  people  who  were  buried  in  its  ashes. 

We  next  visited  the  museum.  This  contains 
seven  apartments,  three  of  which  are  filled  with 
ancient  armor.  The  other  departments  embrace 
old  paintings,  curiosities  of  nature  and  art,  carv- 
ings, trinkets,  remarkable  dresses,  and  many  ob- 
jects of  historical  interest.  Had  I  not  so  lately 
visited  the  Louvre,  in  Paris,  I  should  have  been 
all  the  more  struck  with  admiration  in  viewing  this 
wonderful  collection  of  curiosities,  relics  and  mag- 
nificent works  of  art. 

The  dancing,  ball  and  concert  rooms  of  Vienna, 
as  well  as  other  places  of  amusement,  are  very 
numerous  and  well  attended,  the  inhabitants  being 
distinguished  by  a  cheerful  and  jovial  disposition 
above  those  of  all  other  capitals  of  Europe.  The 
coffee  houses  are  spacious,  and  generally  thronged. 
The  great  promenades  are  the  Glacis,  the  Volks- 
garten    (people's  garden),  the    Augarten,    Briget- 


100  Around  the  World. 

tenau,  and  especially  the  Prater,  a  natural  park  on 
a  series  of  low  islands  formed  by  the  arms  of  the 
Danube.  The  Prater,  especially  on  fete  days, 
with  its  coffee  houses,  panorama,  circus,  swings, 
jugglers,  rustic  kitchens,  long  rows  of  tables  and 
benches,  trains  of  carriages,  and  its  laughing, 
drinking  and  dancing  multitudes  in  all  the  various 
national  costumes  of  the  Austrian  Empire,  is  the 
most  characteristic  part  of  the  capital.  There  are 
also  fashionable  cafes  that  are  frequented  by  the 
aristocracy  and  nobility,  who  never  mix  with  the 
common  people.  Among  other  features  of  inter- 
est that  I  had  pointed  out  to  me  were  the  Palace 
of  Justice  and  the  House  of  Parliament. 

During  my  brief  stay  in  Vienna  I  made  the 
Wienberger  Hotel  my  headquarters,  where  I  was 
charged  five  guldens,  or  two  dollars,  per  day. 

The  narrow  streets  are  thronged  with  people  all 
day  long.  I  frequently  saw  a  woman  and  a  dog 
side  by  side  pulling  a  loaded  wagon  together.  The 
dog  would  be  in  regular  harness,  and  the  woman 
would  wear  a  shoulder  strap.  This  was  a  common 
sight,  even  in  the  most  fashionable  streets,  and 
never  seemed  to  attract  attention  except  from  a 
stranger  like  myself.  In  no  other  city  did  I  see  a 
wider  contrast  between  the  rich  and  the  poor.  The 
former  occupy  costly  palaces  surrounded  by  all 
that  luxury  and  wealth  can  give,  while  the  latter 
are  clothed  in  rags,  and  perform  all  kinds  of  menial 


Trip  on  the  Danube.  101 

labor.  The  open  market  presents  a  scene  of  much 
interest.  Here  hundreds  of  women  are  daily  en- 
gaged in  buying  and  selling  all  kinds  of  produce. 
These  women  are  certainly  industrious,  but,  un- 
like the  Parisians,  can  make  no  pretensions  to 
feminine  beauty. 

In  company  with  some  other  tourists,  I  had  a 
pleasant  ride  on  the  Danube,  and  we  had  a  fine 
opportunity  for  viewing  the  city,  which  borders  the 
stream  for  several  miles. 


102  Around  the  World. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

GERMANY    AND    DENMARK. 

I  now  bade  farewell  to  the  Austrian  capital,  and 
set  out  for  Berlin,  a  distance  of  ninety  German,  or 
about  350  English,  miles.  The  route  I  traversed 
took  me  through  Bohemia  and  Saxony.  Bohemia 
is  a  kingdom  of  the  Austrian  Empire,  and  has  a 
population  of  between  five  and  six  millions.  We 
traveled  through  a  level  and  fertile  valley,  where 
the  rank  vegetation  and  the  thrifty  growth  of  its 
diversified  crops  bore  evidence  to  the  richness  of 
the  soil.  As  usual,  the  women  were  everywhere 
industriously  laboring  in  the  fields,  where  they 
could  be  seen  with  some  implement  in  hand,  some 
using  the  scythe,  the  sickle  or  the  pruning  knife, 
while  others  were  engaged  in  hauling  hay  or 
plowing.  It  was  no  longer  a  matter  of  surprise 
to  see  women  and  men  working  together  doing 
the  work  that  in  America  is  supposed  to  belong 
to  the  men  exclusively.  I  understand,  however, 
that  in  these  countries  this  custom  is  a  matter  of 
necessity. 

The  mineral  springs  of  Bohemia  are  justly  fa- 
mous.    The  industries  of  the   kingdom  are  highly 


Dresden.  103 

developed  in  various  directions.  Most  important 
of  all  is  the  manufacture  of  woolen  goods,  princi- 
pally carried  on  at  Reichenburg  and  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  that  city.  The  cotton  manufacture  is 
also  extensively  prosecuted  in  the  same  district, 
and  at  Rumburg  and  other  places  linen  stuffs  are 
largely  produced.  Bohemian  glass  has  been  cele- 
brated for  centuries,  and  is  still  exported  to  all 
parts  of  Europe.  The  climate  is  healthful,  but 
varies  considerably  in  different  districts. 

As  many  of  the  kingdoms  of  Europe  are  smaller 
than  an  ordinary  county  in  California,  it  takes  very 
little  time  to  travel  from  one  to  the  other;  conse- 
quently I  was  soon  in  Saxony.  This  is  the  third 
constituent  of  Germany  in  point  of  population, 
and  the  fifth  in  point  of  area.  Saxony  is  one  of 
the  most  fertile  parts  of  Germany.  In  regard  to 
the  productive  occupation  of  its  soil,  it  stands 
among  the  most  advanced  nations  in  the  world.  It 
also  claims  to  be  one  of  the  most  highly  educated 
countries  in  Europe.  Its  schools  and  universities 
were  founded  among  the  earliest  in  Germany,  and 
education  is  compulsory. 

Dresden,  the  capital,  is  situated  in  a  beautiful 
and  richly  cultivated  valley  on  both  sides  of  the 
Elbe.  It  is  approached  on  almost  every  side  by 
avenues  of  trees,  and  the  distance  is  bounded  by 
gentle  eminences  covered  with  plantations  and 
vineyards.     On  account  of  its  delightful  situation 


5 
a 

3 

w 


(104) 


Berlin.  105 

and  the  many  objects  of  interest  it  contains,  it  is 
often  called  the  "  German  Florence."  Dresden 
owes  a  large  part  of  its  fame  to  its  extensive  artis- 
tic, literary  and  scientific  collections.  Among  the 
chief  branches  of  industry  are  manufactures  in  gold 
and  silver,  straw  plait,  scientific  and  musical  instru- 
ments, artificial  flowers  and  painter's  canvas. 
There  are  several  large  breweries,  a  considerable 
corn  trade  is  carried  on,  and  there  is  an  extensive 
traffic  in  books  and  objects  of  art. 

At  Dresden  I  met  a  great  many  tourists  from 
America,  also  quite  a  number  of  Americans  who 
reside  here.  It  was  a  pleasure  and  a  relief  to  be 
able  to  converse  in  my  own  familiar  tongue.  For 
weeks  I  had  been  laboring  with  a  foreign  language, 
and  had  been  obliged  to  depend  on  an  interpreter. 
As  one  was  not  always  at  hand,  and  as  they  gen- 
erally understood  just  about  enough  English  to 
enable  them  to  fleece  a  traveler,  I  labored  under 
many  disadvantages. 

My  next  stopping  place  was  Berlin,  the  capital 
of  Prussia,  and  since  1871  the  metropolis  of  the 
German  Empire.  It  is  situated  on  both  sides  of 
the  River  Spree,  and  is  built  on  what  was 
originally  in  part  a  sandy,  and  in  part  a  marshy, 
district.  By  its  canals  it  has  direct  communication 
with  the  Oder  River.  This  river,  with  its  canals 
and  branches,  is  crossed  by  about  fifty  bridges, 
very  few  of  which  have  any  claim   to  architectural 


106  Around  the  World. 

beauty.  Among  these  latter  may  be  mentioned 
the  Schlossbriicke,  which  was  built  in  the  years  1822, 
.1823  and  1824.  It  has  eight  colossal  figures  of 
white  marble,  representing  the  different  stages  of  a 
warrior's  career.  These  statues  are  for  the  most 
part  of  high  artistic  merit ;  they  stand  on  granite 
pedestals.  The  Kurfii.rstenbrii.cke  is  another  bridge 
which  merits  notice  on  account  of  the  equestrian 
bronze  statue  of  the  Great  Elector,  by  which  it  is 
adorned. 

Berlin  covers  an  area  of  about  twenty-five  Eng- 
lish square  miles,  and  now  takes  its  place  as  the 
third  greatest  city  of  Europe,  surpassed  only  by 
London  and  Paris.  In  secular  buildings,  Berlin  is 
very  rich.  It  differs,  however,  from  all  other  capi- 
tals, in  this  respect :  that,  with  the  exception  of 
the  castle,  a  large  building  enclosing  two  courts 
and  containing  more  than  600  rooms,  and  which 
dates  its  origin  back  to  the  sixteenth  century,  all 
of  its  public  buildings  are  comparatively  modern, 
dating,  in  their  present  form,  from  the  eighteenth 
and  nineteenth  centuries.  The  public  buildings 
and  monuments  which  render  it  famous,  date,  al- 
most without  exception,  from  1814,  the  close  of  the 
great  conflict  with  Napoleon  I.  Its  churches  are 
the  structures  which  lay  claim  to  the  highest 
antiquity,  four  of  them  dating  from  the  thirteenth 
and  fourteenth  centuries.  But  in  respect  to 
churches,  both  in  their  number  and  beauty,  Berlin 


The  Siegessaule. 
(107) 


108  Around  the  World. 

is,  relatively  speaking,  probably  the  poorest  of  the 
capitals  of  Christendom. 

Up  to  a  very  recent  date,  Berlin  was  a  walled 
city.  Those  of  its  nineteen  gates  which  still 
remain  have  only  an  historical  or  architectural 
interest.  The  principal  of  these  is  the  Branden- 
burg gate,  which  is  201  feet  broad  and  nearly  sixty- 
five  feet  in  height.  It  is  supported  by  twelve 
Doric  columns,  each  forty-four  feet  high,  and  sur- 
mounted by  a  Car  of  Victory,  which,  taken  by 
Napoleon  I.  to  Paris  in  1807,  was  brought  back  by 
the  Prussians  in  18  14.  The  streets,  about  520  in 
number,  are,  with  the  exception  of  the  districts  in 
the  most  ancient  part  of  the  city,  long,  straight  and 
wide,  and  lined  with  high  houses;  for  the  old  typi- 
cal Berlin  house,  with  its  ground  and  first  floor,  is 
fast  disappearing. 

Among  the  most  imposing  structures  are  the 
Admiralty,  the  upper  house  of  the  Prussian 
Legislature,  the  Imperial  Parliament,  the  royal 
palaces,  the  Jewish  synagogue,  the  Opera  and  the 
Royal  Museums.  The  public  buildings  are  superior 
to  those  in  most  cities  of  Europe.  Berlin  possesses 
eight  museums,  in  addition  to  the  Royal  Museum 
and  the  National  Gallery.  The  Royal  Museums 
are  the  old  and  the  new  museums.  The  former  is 
the  most  imposing  building  in  Berlin.  The  new 
museum  is  connected  with  the  old  by  a  covered 
corridor.      In  its  interior  arrangements  and  decora- 


Piiblic  Monuments.  109 

tions,  it  is  undoubtedly  the  most  splendid  structure 
in  the  city.  The  National  Gallery  is  an  elegant 
building,  situated  between  the  new  museum  and 
the  Spree,  and  is  intended  to  receive  the  collection 
of  modern  paintings,  now  exhibited  provisionally 
in  the  apartment  of  the  Academy. 

The  public  monuments  are  the  equestrian  statues 
of  the  Great  Elector  on  the  Large  Briicke ;  the 
celebrated  statue  of  Frederick  the  Great,  probably 
the  grandest  monument  in  Europe,  opposite  the 
emperor's  palace,  Unter  den  Linden;  and  the 
statue  of  Frederick  William  III.  in  the  Lust  Garten. 
On  the  Kreuzberg,  the  highest  spot  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Berlin,  a  Gothic  monument  in  bronze 
was  erected  by  Frederick  William  III.  to  commem- 
orate the  victories  of  1813  and  18 15,  and  in  the 
Konigsplatz  the  present  Emperor  has  erected  a 
Column  of  Victory  in  honor  of  the  triumphs  of 
1864,  1866  and  1870.  This  monument  rises  to  the 
height  of  197  feet,  the  gilded  figure  of  Victory 
on  top  being  forty  feet  high. 

Next  to  Leipsic,  Berlin  is  the  largest  publishing 
centre  in  Germany.  It  is  not  only  a  centre  of 
intelligence,  but  is  also  an  important  centre  of  man- 
ufactures and  trade.  ■  Its  trade  and  manufactures 
seem  to  be  at  present  in  a  transitory  state  ;  old 
branches  are  dying,  and  new  ones  springing  into 
existence. 

I   was  much   pleased  with   my  sojourn  in  Ger- 


Emperor  Wilhelm. 
(110) 


The  Emperor  William.  Ill 

many.  I  found  the  people,  as  a  rule,  polite  and 
hospitable.  They  appeared  to  be  much  interested 
in  American  travelers.  As  a  rule,  there  seemed  to 
be  less  extortion  practiced  in  Germany  than  in  any 
other  country  I  visited.  The  tramway  fare  was  a 
trifling  sum  ;  and  the  fee  to  porters,  guides  and 
hackmen,  and  the  railway  fare  throughout  the 
whole  German  empire,  the  most  reasonable  on  the 
Continent.  Amono-  the  leading  hotels  are  the 
Auburn  and  Chalsber  Houses,  where  the  traveler 
can  have  his  meals  served  either  on  the  European 
or  American  plan.  One  can  fare  well  for  eight 
marks,  or  about  $1.75,  per  day. 

I  left  Berlin,  September  11,  for  Hamburg.  My 
route  lay  over  a  level  country,  the  soil  of  which 
seemed  to  be  of  a  swampy  and  marshy  character. 
The  principal  resources  of  this  section  seemed  to 
be  hay-making,  turf-digging  and  turf-drying.  The 
turf  is  largely  used  for  fuel,  on  account  of  the 
scarcity  of  timber  in  this  part  of  Germany.  Of 
course,  the  women  had  a  hand  in  both  industries, 
and  many  of  them  could  be  seen  busily  engaged  in 
piling  turf  or  mowing  hay. 

At  Wiirtemberg,  half  way  between  Berlin  and 
Hamburg,  I  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  the  vener- 
able Emperor  William,  the  first  crowned  head  I 
had,  up  to  this  time,  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing 
while  in  Europe,  but  far  from  being  the  last. 
Thousands  of  people  were  awaiting  the  arrival  of 


112  Around  tJie  World. 

the  Emperor.  The  militia  was  out  in  full  force 
ready  to  salute  him.  The  gorgeous  decoration  of 
the  station,  the  drilling,  the  thunder  of  artillery,  the 
holiday  attire  of  the  people,  all  helped  to  make  this 
one  of  the  most  brilliant  and  strikine  incidents  of 
my  journey  through  Prussia. 

A  few  hours  later  I  found  myself  in  the  city  of 
Hamburg,  one  of  the  most  remarkable  cities  of 
Germany,  and,  in  fact,  of  Europe,  ranking,  as  it 
does,  as  the  first  of  all  the  seats  of  commerce  on 
the  Continent.  It  is  situated  on  the  ri^ht  bank  of 
the  northern  branch  of  the  River  Elbe,  about 
ninety-three  miles  from  the  mouth  of  that  river, 
just  where  it  is  joined  by  the  Alster  and  the  Bille. 

The  oldest  portion  of  the  city  is  that  which  lies 
to  the  east  of  the  Alster  ;  to  the  west  lies  the  new 
town.  The  old  town  lies  low,  and  is  traversed  by  a 
great  number  of  narrow  canals,  or  "fleets,"  which 
add  considerably  to  the  picturesqueness  of  the 
meaner  quarters,  and  serve  as  convenient  channels 
for  the  transportation  of  goods.  They  generally 
form  what  may  be  called  the  back  streets,  and  they 
are  bordered  by  warehouses,  cellars  and  the  lower 
classes  of  dwelling  houses.  As  they  are  subject  to 
the  ebb  and  flow  of  the  Elbe,  at  certain  times  they 
run  quite  dry,  and  afford  a  field  of  operation  for  a 
certain  class  who  wander  the  oozy  channel  to  pick 
up  any  articles  of  value.  At  other  times  they  are 
filled  from  fifteen  to  twenty  feet  above  their  ordi- 


Hai7iburg.  113 

nary  level.  As  soon  as  the  telegram  at  Cuxhaven 
announces  hisfh  tide,  three  shots  are  fired  from  the 
stintfung,  at  the  harbor,  to  warn  the  inhabitants 
of  the  "  fleets  ;"  and,  if  the  progress  of  the  tide  up 
the  river  gives  indication  of  danger,  three  other 
shots  are  fired  to  add  emphasis  to  the  warning. 
Then  the  dwellers  on  the  lower  levels  make  a  rapid 
escape  with  their  property.  At  the  time  of  the 
equinoxes  the  inundation  may  be  repeated  for  sev- 
eral days  in  succession  ;  but,  when  all  is  over,  the 
people  return  like  rats  to  their  oozy  and  dripping 
abodes.  In  fine  contrast  to  the  dull  and  dismal 
fleets,  is  the  bright  and  handsome  appearance  of  the 
Inner  Alsten,  which  is  enclosed  on  three  sides  by 
handsome  rows  of  buildings. 

In  the  extent  of  its  commerce,  Hamburg  ranks 
among  European  ports  immediately  after  London, 
Liverpool  and  Glasgow.  The  river  and  harbor 
are  continually  crowded  with  vessels  of  all  descrip- 
tions, from  the  smallest  river  craft  to  the  largest 
ocean  steamer. 

Of  the  many  churches  in  Hamburg,  St.  Peters, 
St.  Michaels,  St.  Nicholas  and  the  Dutch  Reformed 
Church  are  among  the  largest,  and  probably  the 
most  worthy  of  note.  The  Church  of  St.  Nicho- 
las is  remarkable,  more  especially  for  its  tower, 
which  rises  to  a  height  of  473  feet.  Both  interior 
and  exterior  are  elaborately  adorned  with  sculp- 
tures.    St.    Michaels    has    a  tower    which    almost 

8 


114  Around  the  World. 

rivals  that  of  St.  Nicholas,  as  it  rises  to  a  height  of 
428  feet.  It  surpasses  all  the  other  churches  of 
Hamburg,  being  229  feet  long  and  179  feet  broad, 
and  produces  a  fine  effect  by  the  colossal  propor- 
tions of  its  four  principal  pillars.  Among  other 
buildings  of  interest  are  the  Hamburg  Bank,  the 
Grand  Opera  House  and  the  Museum.  The  prin- 
cipal hotels  are  the  Hamburger  Hoff  and  Hotel 
Europe.  Here  accommodations  can  be  had  in 
thorough  European  style,  and  one  can  live 
luxuriously  for  the  moderate  amount  of  eight 
marks  per  day. 

An  extended  stroll  over  the  city  left  the  impres- 
sion upon  my  mind  that  it  did  not  deserve  much  of 
a  reputation  for  either  cleanliness  or  godliness.  I 
was  told  that  vice  and  wickedness  prevail  in  Ham- 
burg to  a  greater  extent  than  in  any  other  city  of 
the  same  size  in  Europe.  A  noticeable  feature  of 
Hamburg  is  the  cheap  prices  which  seem  to  prevail 
in  every  branch  of  business.  A  suit  of  clothes 
that  would  cost  fifty  dollars  in  San  Francisco, 
could  be  bought  for  twenty  here. 

After  visiting  Bremen,  an  important  seaport 
within  a  short  distance  of  Hamburg,  I  started  for 
Copenhagen,  traveling  by  the  way  of  Kiel,  a  city 
with  a  population  of  about  50,000.  It  is  pictur- 
esquely situated  at  the  southern  end  of  Kielov 
Fohrde,  about  sixty-six  miles  northeast  of  Ham- 
burg by   rail.      Kiel  is  the   most  important   naval 


The  Baltic  —  Denmark.  115 

harbor  of  Germany,  and  the  station  of  the  German 
Baltic  fleet,  and  the  port  and  its  approaches  are 
very  strongly  fortified.  The  safety  and  excellence 
of  Kiel  harbor,  whose  only  drawback  is  that  it  is 
frozen  in  winter,  have  made  the  town  one  of  the 
principal  ports  of  the  Baltic.  Here  I  embarked 
for  Korsor,  in  Denmark,  a  distance  of  eighteen 
German,  or  seventy-two  English,  miles. 

Since  landing  in  the  Old  World,  I  had  been  con- 
stantly in  motion,  endeavoring  to  see  all  that  was 
worth  seeing,  and  had  traveled  by  all  the  different 
modes  of  transit  the  various  countries  afforded. 
As  we  steamed  out  of  the  harbor  of  Kiel  I  watched 
the  fast-receding  German  shore  with  something 
akin  to  regret  ;  for  I  had  spent  several  very  pleas- 
ant weeks  among  the  German  people.  The 
knowledge  I  had  acquired  of  their  language  I 
found  afterward  to  be  of  great  benefit  to  me  when 
traveling  in  the  German  settlements  in  Asia. 

After  a  few  hours'  sailing  over  the  boisterous 
Baltic,  we  anchored  at  Korsor,  and  I  was  soon 
treading  on  Danish  soil.  The  first  thing  was  to  go 
through  the  regular  custom-house  formality  of 
having  my  baggage  searched  by  its  officers,  to  see 
if  it  might  by  any  possibility  contain  dynamite,  or 
some  article  on  which  a  duty  might  be  levied.  Be- 
fore starting  out  in  quest  of  new  scenes  I  was 
obliged  to  hunt  up  a  money  broker,  and  provide 
myself  with   the   coin   of  the    country      For   each 


116  Arotind  the  World. 

English  pound,  I  obtained  eighteen  cronor,  or 
crowns,  which  was  equivalent  to  five  dollars  in 
United  States  gold  coin.  This  would  go  twice  as 
far  here  as  the  same  amount  in  the  United  States. 

The  coasts  of  Denmark  are  generally  low  and 
sandy,  and  the  whole  western  shore  of  Jutland  is  a 
succession  of  sand  ridges  and  shallow  lagoons,  very 
dangerous  to  shipping.  On  the  eastern  side  the 
coast  is  not  so  inhospitable.  On  the  contrary, 
there  are  several  excellent  harbors,  especially  on 
the  islands.  There  is  little  variety  in  the  surface 
of  Denmark,  as  it  is  uniformly  low  ;  and  the  high- 
est point  in  the  whole  country,  Himmelbjerget,  in 
Jutland,  is  only  550  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 
It  is  not  as  low,  however,  as  Holland  is.  The 
country  is  pleasantly  diversified,  and  rises  a  little  at 
the  coast,  even  though  it  remains  flat  inland. 

The  landscape  of  the  islands  and  the  south- 
eastern part  of  Jutland  is  rich  in  beech  woods, 
corn  fields  and  meadows,  and  even  the  minute 
islets  are  green  and  fertile.  In  the  western  and 
northern  districts  of  Jutland  this  gives  place  to  a 
wide  expanse  of  moorland,  covered  with  heather, 
and  ending  at  the  sea  in  low,  whitish  cliffs.  There 
is  a  melancholy  charm  even  about  these  monoto- 
nous tracts,  and  it  can  not  be  said  that  Denmark  is 
wanting  in  natural  beauty.  It  is  obvious  that  in 
such  a  country  there  can  exist  no  rivers ;  the 
longest  of  the  Danish  streams  is  little  more  than 
a  brook.      Nor  are  there  any  large  lakes. 


Copenhagen.  117 

The  people  are  honest,  economical  and  indus- 
trious ;  every  one  works.  The  majority  of  them 
are  rosy-cheeked,  healthy  and  seemingly  happy  in 
their  slow-going  way.  They  seem  devoid  of  any 
ambition  to  acquire  wealth.  Their  motto  seems  to 
be  to  do  good,  to  feel  good,  and  to  enjoy  life  as  it 
comes  from  day  to  day.  Denmark,  small  as  she  is, 
is  the  most  independent  little  country  in  Northern 
Europe.  It  is  pre-eminently  a  corn  land,  all  kinds 
of  grain  are  grown,  and  the  potato  is  largely  culti- 
vated. The  produce  of  grass  is  not  very  large,  the 
fertility  of  the  soil  tempting  the  farmers  to  use  it 
all  for  grain.  The  exports  are  largely  in  excess  of 
the  imports. 

From  Korsor  to  Copenhagen  is  a  distance  of 
eighteen  Danish  miles,  or  fifty-six  English  miles. 
The  road  lies  over  a  densely  populated  agri- 
cultural district.  Men,  women  and  children  work 
in  the  fields  together.  The  most  important 
towns  we  passed  on  this  route  were  Slagesingele, 
Soro  and  Roskedal.  I  arrived  at  the  Danish 
capital  on  the  15th  of  September.  Copenhagen 
is  situated  at  the  southern  extremity  of  the 
sound,  which  is  at  that  part  about  twenty  miles 
wide.  The  main  portion  of  the  city  is  built  on 
low-lying  ground  on  the  east  coast  of  the  island  of 
Zealan.l,  between  the  sea  and  a  series  of  fresh- 
water lakes.  It  is  becoming  more  and  more  the 
commercial  centre  of  Denmark,  and  its  local  indus- 


118  A  round  the  World. 

tries  and  its  foreign  trade  are  both  making  rapid 
advances.  The  harbor  is  large  and  commodious, 
and,  by  the  aid  of  canals,  large  vessels  can  enter 
almost  to  the  centre  of  the  city.  The  principal 
streets  were  thronged  with  people  of  every  grade 
and  rank. 

At  the  time  I  was  in  Copenhagen  the  Czar  of 
Russia  was  visiting  his  father-in-law,  the  King  of 
Denmark,  the  public  buildings  were  all  decorated, 
and  the  people  generally  seemed  to  have  donned 
their  holiday  attire.  I  had  a  glimpse  of  the  car- 
riage and  body  guard  of  one  of  the  greatest  rulers 
in  the  world.  A  few  days  later,  while  in  Chris- 
tiania,  I  saw  the  Prince  of  Wales  and  the  Crown 
Prince  of  Norway.  For  all  they  were  only  ordi- 
nary mortals,  I  was  glad  I  had  had  an  opportunity 
of  seeing  them.  Strange  how  one  human  being 
sometimes  enjoys  even  seeing  the  footprints  of 
another.  The  King  of  Denmark  is  blest  with  a 
royal  son,  the  King  of  Greece,  and  with  two  royal 
sons-in-law,  the  Czar  of  Russia  and  the  Prince 
of  Wales.  I  hope  on  my  next  tour  to  see  this 
royalty  converted  into  a  republic.  It  would  infuse 
new  life  into  the  people  to  be  able  to  breathe  the 
air  of  freedom. 

Among  the  most  interesting  public  buildings  are 
the  Royal  Palace  of  Christiansborg.  This  palace 
contains  the  council  chamber  and  the  apartments 
in   which   both    houses    of    Parliament   hold   their 


Public  Buildings.  119 

sittings.  The  Palace  of  Rosenberg  is  an  irregular 
building  in  Gothic  style,  with  a  high,  pointed  roof, 
and  flanked  by  four  towers  of  unequal  dimensions. 
The  Palace  of  Charlottenborg  is  a  huge,  desolate- 
looking  structure,  built  in  1672.  Here  the  annual 
exhibition  of  painting  and  sculpture  is  held.  The 
Thorwaldsen  Museum  is  two  stories  in  height,  and 
230  feet  long,  and  125  feet  broad.  In  the  centre  is 
an  open  court  containing  the  artist's  tomb.  The 
exterior  walls  are  decorated  with  groups  of  figures 
illustrative  of  events  connected  with  the  formation 
of  the  museum.  The  front  hall,  corridors  and 
apartments  are  painted  in  the  Pompeian  style,  with 
brilliant  colors  and  with  crreat  artistic  skill. 

The  principal  theatre  is  the  Royal,  on  Kongens 
Nytory,  a  beautiful  edifice  of  modern  erection. 
This  I  visited,  and  saw  some  of  the  ablest  actors 
and  the  most  brilliant  assemblage  of  people  since 
leaving  Paris.  The  play  was  grand,  and  the 
people  dressed  in  the  most  costly  attire.  The 
Royal  Family  might  properly  be  considered  the 
feature  of  the  evening.  I  also  visited  the  Tivoli 
Gardens,  which  are  situated  immediately  beyond 
the  western  gate,  and  form  the  favorite  place  of 
resort  in  the  summer  evenings.  The  market 
square  was  crowded  with  people,  and  produce  of 
every  kind  was  exhibited.  Butter  and  cheese  occu- 
pied a  prominent  place,  and  they  are  among  the 
principal  exports. 


120  Around  the  World. 


CHAPTER  V. 

SWEDEN,  THE    BALTIC    AND    RUSSIA. 

September  19  I  embarked  on  a  small  coast 
steamer  for  Malmo,  a  seaport  town  in  Southern 
Sweden.  It  is  situated  on  the  eastern  shore  of  the 
sound,  opposite  Copenhagen,  from  which  it  is  six- 
teen miles  distant.  I  paid  my  fare  of  two  cronor, 
and,  after  a  couple  of  hours'  pleasant  sailing,  found 
myself  at  my  destination.  Here  again  I  was  in  a 
new  country,  and  my  baggage  had  to  be  inspected 
by  custom-house  officers.  This  was  done  so  fre- 
quently while  traveling  in  Scandinavia  that  I  began 
to  look  upon  it  in  the  light  of  a  nuisance,  and  I  re- 
solved, that,  if  I  ever  visited  the  country  again,  I 
would  confine  my  luggage  to  a  valise,  and  thus  save 
myself  much  annoyance.  However,  I  was  subject 
to  less  imposition  and  extortion  in  Northern  Eu- 
rope than  in  the  countries  south  of  the  Alps  and 
in  the  Orient,  where  there  are  whole  armies  of 
loafers  and  hangers-on  whose  sole  object  in  life  is 
to  fleece  the  traveler. 

Malmo  is  inferior  only  to  Stockholm  and  Goth- 
enburg in  importance,  and  was  formerly  the  most 
important    town    on    the    sound.       It    is    built    on 


Sweden.  121 

a  level  plain,  and  is  backed  by  an  agricultural 
country.  One  has  a  fine  view  of  the  water,  which 
is  dotted  with  vessels.  From  Malmo  to  Stockholm 
is  about  350  English,  or  fifty  Swedish,  miles.  The 
distance  to  Gothenburg  is  about  the  same. 

As  we  advance  eastward  the  land  is  rolling  and 
sometimes  rocky,  and  large  strips  of  country  are 
timbered  with  stunted  birch,  fir  and  pine  trees. 
Although  to  me  the  soil  appeared  unfit  for  cultiva- 
tion, it  was  densely  settled  and  fairly  improved. 
The  red  houses  and  red  barns  add  much  to  the 
picturesqueness  of  the  rocky  hills.  The  farms  and 
fields  are  enclosed  by  stone  fences.  The  grain  is 
cut  with  a  sickle,  and  generally  harvested  by 
women.  Often  in  the  busy  harvest  season,  the 
leading  farmers  select  a  dozen  women,  who,  with 
sickle  in  hand,  cut  the  grain  and  tie  it  in  bundles. 
A  given  number  of  bundles  is  considered  a  day's 
work.  Many  of  these  peasant  women  occupy  little 
homes  on  the  outskirts  of  the  farmer's  domain,  for 
which  they  pay  a  yearly  rent.  The  wages  they  re- 
ceive for  a  day's  work  in  the  harvest  field  is  fifty 
orer,  which  is  equivalent  to  thirteen  cents.  The 
laboring  classes  are  meagrely  compensated  for  their 
work.  The  usual  wao-es  for  a  man  who  is  em- 
ployed  by  the  year  is  from  thirty  to  forty  dollars, 
and  a  woman  generally  receives  about  half  that 
amount. 

Gothenburg,  the  second  city  and  the  chief  com- 


122  Around  the  World. 

mercial  town  of  Sweden,  is  situated  in  a  low  valley 
surrounded  by  bare  hills,  on  the  south  bank  of  the 
Gotha  River.  It  is  well  and  regularly  built,  mostly 
of  stone  or  brick,  with  wide  and  well  paved  streets, 
and  in  its  general  appearance  much  resembles  an 
English  town. 

From  Gothenburg  to  Stockholm  by  way  of  the 
canal  is  an  interesting  journey.  This  canal  con- 
nects with  Lake  Wetter,  a  large  sheet  of  water. 
The  canal  and  lake  are  girted  with  hills,  princi- 
pally covered  with  tamarack  and  pine.  Stockholm 
is  situated  at  the  junction  of  Lake  Maelar  with  an 
arm  of  the  Baltic  called  Skaengard.  The  city  is 
built  chiefly  upon  a  number  of  islands.  It  is  hand- 
somely designed,  and  built  with  several  squares 
and  public  walks,  ornamented  with  trees  and 
statues.  The  city  has  been  likened  to  Venice. 
There  are  several  points  of  view  which  recall  the 
Southern  City  of  the  Sea  ;  but  the  resemblance  is 
imperfect.  The  approaches  by  water  are  uncom- 
monly beautiful,  both  on  the  lake  side  and  from  the 
Baltic,  commanding  views  probably  unsurpassed 
of  their  kind. 

The  most  striking  object  from  every  point,  is  the 
great  rectangular  palace,  an  immense  structure, 
standing  upon  an  eminence  on  the  central  island. 
Its  vast  and  massive  walls  rise  far  above  the  neigh- 
boring buildings.  There  are  few  cities  in  Europe 
whose  general  aspect  is  more  attractive  than  that 


Stockholm. 


123 


of  Stockholm.  Vast  ranges  of  buildings  are  re- 
lieved and  over-shadowed  in  the  Stad  by  the 
majestic  palace  and  church  towers  rising  from  their 
midst.  Nowhere  has  nature  disposed  of  her  undu- 
lations of  soil  and  curves  of  water  boundary  with 


The  Royal  Palace,  Stockholm. 

more  endless  variety.  In  the  compass  of  a  single 
evening  one  may  pass  through  sombre  forest  and 
smooth  pasture  slopes,  climb  tall  granite  cliffs  over- 
hanging glassy  lake  and  bay,  and  glide  through 
the  busy  seaport  filled  with  sails  and  moving 
industry,    the   granite    quays    lined    and    adorned 


124  Around  the  World. 

with  architectural  beauty,  with  statues  and  monu- 
ments of  art. 

The  various  subdivisions  of  the  city,  intersected 
by  the  waters  of  the  lake,  are  chiefly  islands  con- 
nected by  bridges,  some  of  which  are  of  superb 
granite  masonry.  Picturesque  ferry  boats,  pro- 
pelled by  women  in  their  showy  provincial  cos- 
tumes, add  greatly  to  the  scene  in  summer.  In 
winter  the  waters  are  compact  plains  of  snow-clad 
ice,  covered  with  all  the  moving  activity  of  thor- 
oughfares. One  of  the  most  interesting  objects  is 
the  Riddarholm  Church,  which  contains  the  tombs 
and  trophies  of  many  historic  personages.  The 
harbor  is  one  of  the  finest  in  the  world,  and  the 
largest-sized  ships  may  penetrate  into  the  very 
heart  of  the  city. 

There  are  several  fine  theatres  and  other  places 
of  amusement.  A  strong  military  garrison  of  life 
guards  is  always  quartered  in  the  barracks.  A 
naval  squadron,  chiefly  of  gunboats,  is  stationed 
at  an  island  opposite  the  palace.  The  city,  cov- 
ered by  a  strong  fortress,  is  perhaps  impregnable 
by  water.  Stockholm  is  the  chief  seat  of  Swedish 
manufactures,  which  are  here  extensive.  Trans- 
lated into  English,  Stockholm  would  be  Log 
Island.  Tradition  has  it  that  it  derived  its  name 
from  a  stock,  or  log,  which  was  sent  adrift  on  the 
stream.  The  city  was  to  be  built  wherever  the  log 
landed. 


Russia.  125 

On  leaving  Stockholm,  I  crossed  the  Baltic,  and 
paid  a  hasty  visit  to  Russia.  We  had  a  stormy 
sea  voyage  of  375  miles.  St.  Petersburg,  the  cap- 
ital of  the  Russian  Empire,  is  situated  in  a  thinly 
peopled  region  at  the  head  of  the  Gulf  of  Finland, 
and  at  the  mouth  of  the  River  Neva.  The  bulk  of 
the  city  is  on  the  left  bank  of  the  river,  and  includes 
the  best  and  the  busiest  streets,  the  richest  shops, 
the  great  bazars  and  markets,  the  palaces,  cathe- 
drals and  theatres,  as  well  as  railway  stations, 
except  that  of  the  Finland  Railway.  Among  the 
principal  objects  of  interest  are  the  memorial  to 
St.  Peter  and  the  Cathedral  of  St.  Isaac.  This 
city  has  a  population  of  nearly  1,000,000  people. 
I  had  planned  to  go  from  St.  Petersburg  to  Mos- 
cow, and  thence  to  Constantinople  ;  but  the  near 
approach  of  winter  induced  me  to  give  up  this 
plan.  So,  after  a  brief  but  interesting  stay  in  the 
brilliant  Russian  capital,  I  recrossed  the  Baltic  to 
Stockholm. 


126  Around  the  World. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

NORWAY. 

On  arriving  at  Stockholm,  I  took  the  cars  for 
Christiania.  On  this  journey  I  visited  the  Trol- 
hatta  Fall,  one  of  the  grandest  sights  in  Sweden. 
At  Frederickstad  I  had  my  first  glimpse  of  Nor- 
way. I  was  now  fast  entering  one  of  the  most 
picturesque  countries  of  the  earth.  The  first  sight 
of  interest  we  passed  in  this  romantic  region  was 
the  celebrated  Sarf-foss,  on  the  River  Glommen. 
This  remarkable  fall,  or  foss,  is  surrounded  by 
some  of  the  most  picturesque  mountain  scenery  in 
Norway.  In  fact,  the  principal  features  of  Nor- 
wegian scenery  are  fjeldes,  fosses  and  fiords,  or,  as 
we  would  term  them,  mountains,  falls  and  rivers. 
On  account  of  the  mountainous  character  of  tne 
country,  the  rivers  are  navigable  only  for  short  dis- 
tances, and  even  then,  only  exceptionally  by  large 
vessels.  It  is  only  in  those  comparatively  frequent 
cases  where  the  rivers  expand  into  lakes,  that  they 
can,  strictly  speaking,  be  navigated  by  ships.  On 
the  other  hand,  the  waterfalls  in  Norway  are 
exceedingly  numerous,  and  many  of  them  remark- 
able for  their  height,  body  of  wafer,  and  great 
beauty. 


Norway.  127 

The  mountains  are  covered  with  some  of  the 
finest  pine  timber  in  the  world.  Logs  are  floated 
down  on  the  rivers  to  the  saw-mills,  which  are 
everywhere  in  operation.  The  lumber  is  exported 
to  all  parts  of  Europe.  This  trade  and  the  famous 
iron  mines  and  extensive  fisheries  form  the  most 
important  industries  of  Norway.  Very  little  grain 
is  raised  here,  and  fully  one-fourth  of  the  cereals 
consumed  must  be  imported. 

Norway  has  no  extensive  railway  system,  the 
railways  having  a  total  length  of  only  973  miles. 
At  Frederickstad,  an  important  lumber  port,  I 
took  the  train  for  Christiania,  traveling  by  way  of 
the  famous  Kijolberg  bridge,  where  a  battle  was 
fought  in  the  stormy  days  of  1S14,  between  Nor- 
way and  Sweden.  We  traveled  through  an  ele- 
vated and  thickly  timbered  region,  where  we  had 
a  fine  view  of  the  long,  open  bay,  called  the  Chris- 
tiania fiord.  This  was  one  of  the  most  interesting 
railway  rides  I  had  enjoyed  in  Europe. 

Christiania  is  beautifully  situated  at  the  head  of 
the  fiord  of  the  same  name,  an  arm  of  the  Skager 
Rack.  The  streets  are  broad,  and  the  houses,  ex- 
cept in  the  suburbs,  are  built  chiefly  of  brick  and 
stone.  It  is  the  seat  of  the  Crown  Prince  and  of 
the  Storthing,  or  Parliament,  of  the  Hoieste-ret,  or 
final  court  of  appeal,  and  of  the  bishop  of  the 
Stift.      It  has  a  population  of  about  125,000. 

I   stopped  at  the   Victoria    Hotel,  where   I   paid 


128  Around  the  World. 

eight  cronor,  or  about  $2.25,  per  day.  The  accom- 
modations were  fine,  and  Quests  are  served  in 
Scandinavian  or  American  style.  Among  the  pub- 
lic buildings  may  be  mentioned  the  royal  palace  ;  the 
cathedral,  a  brick  edifice  in  the  shape  of  a  Greek 
cross  ;  the  museums  and  the  National  Gallery,  all 
fairly  good  buildings  for  a  small  city.  The  Parlia- 
ment or  Storthing  building  is  substantial,  but  not 
grand.  The  palace  of  the  Crown  Prince  is  a 
spacious  wooden  structure,  but  is  not  at  all  impos- 
ing. After  visiting  the  Louvre  in  Paris,  and  Buck- 
ingham Palace  in  London,  these  seemed  very 
small  affairs.  The  Fish  Bazar  is  quite  an  enter- 
prise. Here  live  fish  are  kept  all  the  year  round, 
and  people  get  their  fish  here  instead  of  buying 
them  at  the  ordinary  fish  markets.  The  fortress 
of  Agershuus  defends  the  fiord  and  the  greater 
part  of  the  town.  It  contains  the  regalia  and 
national  records,  and  its  ramparts  afford  an  agree- 
able promenade  It  is  remarkable  more  for  its 
strength  and  antiquity  than  for  its  architectural 
finish. 

In  the  northern  portion  of  the  city  I  visited 
Agers  Elv,  a  swiftly  flowing  stream,  the  water 
power  of  which  is  utilized  by  the  various  factories. 
The  operatives  in  these  factories  are  principally 
girls.  My  visit  to  St.  John's  height  was  the  most 
important  event  to  me  that  occurred  during  my 
visit  to  the  city.      From  this  lofty  eminence  I  had 


(129) 


130  Around  the  World. 

a  fine  view,  not  only  of  the  entire  city,  but  of  the 
shipping  in  the  harbor.  It  happened  while  I  was 
viewing  the  city  from  this  height  that  there  was  a 
large  crowd  of  people  waiting  for  the  arrival  of  the 
Prince  of  Wales,  who  was  visiting  Christiania.  At 
two  o'clock  the  carriages  containing  the  royal  per- 
sonages appeared  in  sight,  followed  by  a  large  con- 
course of  people,  all  at  rayed  in  holiday  attire. 

The  tourist  generally  takes  Christiania  for  a 
starting  point  when  he  decides  to  venture  into 
Northern  Norway  to  see  some  of  the  wildest 
scenery  under  the  sun.  Forty  miles  north  of 
Christiania  is  a  large  body  of  water  called  Mjosen, 
where  small  steamers  are  busily  plying  in  every 
direction  all  summer  long.  The  general  character 
of  the  whole  country  is  extremely  rugged,  particu- 
larly in  the  North.  The  valleys  are  short  and 
abrupt.  Precipices,  cascades  and  torrents  are  met 
with  in  every  direction,  and  grand  and  picturesque 
scenery  abounds. 

Among"  the  most  striking  natural  curiosities  is 
the  mountain  of  Kilhorn,  a  remarkable  pyramidal 
peak,  terminating  with  a  long,  sharp,  spire-like 
summit,  and  having  a  large  perforation  about 
three- fourths  of  the  way  up  its  side.  Some  of  the 
mountain  passes  are  extremely  picturesque.  The 
Voringfoss  and  Rukanfoss  are  cataracts,  each  nine 
hundred  feet  in  perpendicular  descent,  and  several 
of  the  rivers  have  falls  of  less  height.     The  rivers 


The  Fiords.  131 

and  lakes  are  abundantly  stocked  with  many 
varieties  of  excellent  fish,  among  which  are  trout 
and  salmon.  Game  of  all  kinds  is  very  plentiful. 
Norway  is  a  favorite  resort  for  the  European  no- 
bility, who,  satiated  with  pleasure  and  sight-seeing, 
come  here  in  the  summer  to  hunt  and  fish. 

The  numerous,  and  in  many  cases  very  extensive 
fiords  give  to  the  different  parts  of  the  coast  of 
Norway  a  remarkably  varied  character.  For  long 
distances  the  mainland  does  not  come  in  contact 
with  the  sea.  Among  the  most  noteworthy  is 
Hardanger  Fiord,  which  pierces  the  country  for 
eighty  miles  in  a  northeasterly  direction.  The 
climate  is  less  severe  than  might  be  expected  from 
the  high  latitude  and  the  elevation  of  surface,  being 
considerably  tempered  by  the  sea  and  warm  south- 
west wintls.  Perpetual  snow  is  found  only  in  ele- 
vated localities.  It  is  a  wonderful  si^ht  to  see  the 
sun  rise  in  its  majestic  beauty  among  the  glaciers. 
The  broad  mountains  running  up  into  sharp  peaks, 
covered  with  clear  coats  of  crystallized  ice,  glitter  in 
the  sunshine,  and  present  a  grandly  magnificent 
si^ht. 

I  visited  Drammen,  a  bustling  city  of  about 
twenty  thousand  inhabitants,  situated  at  the  head 
of  Drammen  Fiord,  thirty  miles  west  of  Chris- 
tiania.  It  has  quite  a  number  of  industrial  estab- 
lishments, and  an  active  trade  in  wood,  pitch  and 
iron,  is  carried  on.     My  next  stopping  place  was 


132  Around  the  World. 

Skien,  situated  at  the  extreme  western  end  of  the 
railroad,  and  130  English  miles  from  Christiania. 
The  railroad  follows  the  line  of  the  sea-shore,  pass- 
ing through  numerous  tunnels,  climbing  hills,  and 
crossing  pretty  little  valleys  dotted  with  small 
farms.  We  were  continually  sighting  streams  and 
waterfalls.     . 

On  this  route  we  passed  Holmestrand,  Sane 
Fiord  and  Kongsberg,  situated  on  alvs,  or  rivers, 
and  in  close  proximity  to  the  coast.  Here  are 
situated  the  rich  and  famous  silver  mines  of  Nor- 
way. These  mines,  as  well  as  the  railroads,  are 
owned  and  controlled  by  the  government.  From 
Skien  small  steamers  travel  by  way  of  a  canal  to 
an  inland  lake  called  the  Inland  North  Sea.  This 
takes  the  tourist  as  far  north  as  Ule-foss,  in 
Tellemarken.  Many  tourists  avail  themselves  of 
the  opportunity  to  visit  this  attractive  body  of 
water,  and  view  the  grand  and  striking  scenery 
among  the  lofty  mountains  of  Central  Norway. 

It  is  exceedingly  interesting  to  visit  the  country 
during  the  summer  season,  and  inspect  the  satras. 
These  are  situated  four  or  five  English  miles  from 
the  main  farms.  Here  they  keep  the  cattle  tem- 
porarily during  the  harvest  season,  and  have  their 
dairies,  where  they  make  butter  and  cheese.  While 
the  herders  are  watching  their  flocks  in  the  grassy 
meadows  and  on  the  wooded  hills,  they  are  con- 
stantly tooting  their  horns,  partly  for  amusement 


Satra  Life.  133 

and  partly  in  accordance  with  an  old  custom,  as  it 
was  formerly  supposed  that  the  noise  of  the  horn 
was  useful  in  keeping  bears,  wolves  and  other  wild 
animals  away  from  their  herds. 

In  the  temporary  cabins  you  will  hear  the  maids 
singing  as  they  churn  or  spin.  You  will  find 
women  in  the  meadows  raking  hay  or  on  the  hill- 
sides, sickle  in  hand,  cutting  foliage  to  be  cured 
and  stored  for  food  for  the  stock  during  the  long, 
cold  winter.  The  boys  are  engaged  in  fishing,  and 
the  smaller  children  in  picking  berries.  The  men 
are  busy  mowing,  or  felling  timber,  which  is  hauled, 
tandem  fashion,  by  the  chubby  ponies  to  the  neigh- 
boring fiords.  Evening  life  in  these  cabins  pre- 
sents a  lively  scene.  The  time  is  spent  in  playing 
on  the  flute  and  violin  and  in  dancing;  when  wea- 
ried of  that,  in  spinning  yarns  and  telling  ghost 
stories.  Some  are  engaged  in  making  boasts  as  to 
who  is  the  strongest  man,  who  owns  the  fastest 
horse,  the  sharpest  knife,  or  has  the  best-looking  girl. 
This  is  a  fair  description  of  satra  life  in  Norway  ; 
and  is  what  I  have  seen  with  my  own  eyes,  and 
heard  with  my  own  ears. 

On  returning  to  Skien,  which  is  the  terminus  of 
the  railroad,  I  embarked  on  a  small  coast  steamer 
for  Kragero,  only  about  four  hours'  ride  on  the 
Fiord.  We  kept  close  to  the  shore,  and  had  a  fine 
view  of  the  peculiar  formation  of  the  coast.  The 
harbor   of  Kragero   I   found  to  be  surrounded  by 


134  Around  the  World. 

fjelds  and  islands.  This  city  impresses  one  as 
being  odd,  ugly  and  old  ;  the  streets  are  crooked 
and  narrow,  and  it  looks  as  if  it  might  have  been 
pretty  well  shaken  up  at  some  time  by  an  earth- 
quake. It  has  a  background  of  rugged  and  rocky 
hills.  The  city  has,  however,  several  wealthy 
merchants  and  owners  of  ships,  and  does  a  thrifty 
business  in  exporting  lumber  t  >  foreign  countries. 

On  leaving  Kragero,  I  journeyed  into  the  interior. 
The  only  mode  of  travel  now  was  by  stage.  There 
is  a  compulsory  law  or  rule  in  Norway  requiring  a 
stage  to  be  furnished  any  traveler  who  will  pay  for 
the  use  of  it,  the  price  generally  charged  being  one 
crono  and  fifty  orer.  or  forty  cents,  for  every  ten 
miles,  which  is  generally  about  the  distance  be- 
tween stations.  The  tax-payers  all  along  the  line 
of  the  mail  road  have  to  furnish  these  stages,  each 
as  their  turn  comes  around.  The  traveler  usually 
gives  notice  of  his  coming,  by  mail,  the  day  before- 
hand. The  stage  outfit  consists  of  a  pony  horse 
hitched  to  a  cariole  or  sleigh,  according  to  the  sea- 
son of  the  year. 

On  this  occasion  1  occupied  a  cariole,  a  narrow 
two-wheeled  vehicle  used  in  Norway,  just  wide 
enough  to  hold  one  person.  I  enjoyed  the  ride 
more  on  account  of  its  novelty  than  for  its  com- 
fort. My  baggage  was  placed  at  my  feet  ;  the 
driver  stood  upright  behind  me  on  a  step,  holding 
the  lines,  with  which  he  guided  the  spirited  horse, 


Gj crest  ad.  135 

over  my  head  ;  and  we  rattled  along  at  a  lively 
gait  on  a  narrow  road,  which  was  but  a  few  inches 
wider  than  the  vehicle.  It  is  customary  at  the  end 
of  the  journey  to  tip  the  driver  with  fifteen  orer 
(about  four  cents).  After  a  varied  experience  in 
traveling  and  riding,  I  have  learned  to  enjoy  all  the 
various  styles,  from  comfortably  sitting  in  a  palace 
car  to  riding  a  pack  donkey, 

Arriving  at  Gjerestad,  I  was,  after  a  lapse  of 
many  years,  in  the  place  where  I  was  born,  and 
where  the  earlier  part  of  my  childhood  was  spent, 
surrounded  by  lofty  mountains  and  inland  fiords. 
I  went  sleigh  riding  and  skating-,  and  eno-aeed  in 
all  the  varied  amusements  that  so  delight  the  heart 
of  boyhood,  utterly  oblivious  of  the  grand  mount- 
ains towering  above  us,  or  of  the  picturesque 
beauty  of  the  fiord,  whose  waters  glittered  in  the 
summer  sunlight  or  became  a  vast  sheet  of  ice  in 
the  chilling  grasp  of  winter.  Little  did  I  dream, 
that,  in  after  years,  I  should  travel  thousands  of 
miles  to  visit  other  scenes  less  grand  and  inspiring, 
or  that  my  home  was  to  be  in  the  far-off,  golden 
West.  The  events  of  my  childhood  had  almost 
faded  from  my  memory  years  before,  and  old  play- 
mates and  schoolmates  were  now  gray-haired  men, 
known  to  me  only  by  their  names. 

On  all  sides  I  was  treated  to  a  hearty  hand- 
shaking and  a  shower  of  questions,  a  few  of  which  I 
will  repeat.      The  first  query  nearly    always  was  : 


136  Around  the  World. 

"Well,  Mr.  Johnson,  how  came  you  to  get  so 
rich  ?  "  to  which  I  would  reply  that  I  was  not  aware 
of  the  fact  that  I  was  rich,  but  that  what  means  I 
had  acquired  were  due  to  energy  and  industry ; 
that,  if  we  desire  gold,  we  must  go  where  gold 
abounds;  that  "we  must  make  hay  while  the  sun 
shines;"  rise  early  and  plow  deep  to  get  corn  to 
sell  and  corn  to  keep. 

They  would  next  inquire  who  was  going  with 
me  around  the  world,  and  I  told  them  that  my 
only  companion  was  a  full  purse.  They  would 
often  ask  me  if  I  did  not  know  that  few  travelers 
ever  returned  from  such  a  long  and  venturesome 
journey.  I  answered  that  this  was  true,  but  that 
also  it  would  be  more  remarkable  and  more  to  my 
credit  if  I  could  accomplish  it ;  that  I  was  fortified 
with  courage,  fortitude  and  endurance  ;  and  that 
I  did  not  care  to  follow  in  the  beaten  tracks  where 
there  was  no  risk  and  nothing-  to  encounter. 

I  was  looked  upon  with  as  much  curiosity  and 
interest  as  if  I  liad  been  the  long-lost  prodigal  son. 
Although  they  put  no  ring  on  my  finger,  they 
nearly  killed  me  with  kindness  in  the  way  of  over- 
feeding me.  Here  at  Gjerestad  two  of  the  pleas- 
antest  weeks  I  had  in  Europe  were  spent;  either 
tongue  or  body  were  in  constant  motion,  and  invi- 
tations were  extended  from  all  sides. 

No  matter  at  what  hour  you  make  a  call,  you 
must  stop  and  eat  a  meal,  or   it  is  considered  no 


Customs  of  the   Country.  1 » > 7 

visit ;  and,  hungry  or  not  hungry,  you  must  eat. 
After  leaving  the  table  it  is  customary  to  take  the 
host  and  his  wife  by  the  hand,  and  thank  them  for 
the  meal.  At  the  dawn  of  day  a  cup  of  coffee  and 
a  sandwich  were  brought  to  my  bedside.  Break- 
fast and  dinner,  the  two  best  meals,  are  served  at 
the  regular  hours.  After  the  latter  meal  is  over,  it 
is  customary  to  lie  down  for  a  couple  of  hours' 
sleep.  At  two  o'clock  coffee  and  sandwiches  are 
served.  This  is  the  custom  in  nearly  all  parts  of 
Norway,  particularly  in  the  rural  districts.  Even 
the  servants  eat  five  times  a  day,  though  often  of 
the  plainest  food.  Well,  they  need  plenty  to  eat, 
as  they  are  poorly  paid  for  their  work  in  Norway, 
as  in  Switzerland  and  Denmark. 

I  was  now  busily  engaged  in  visiting  and  sight- 
seeing. I  went  from  one  farm  to  another,  and  was 
always  given  the  chubbiest  horse  and  best  cariole, 
and  thus  was  rapidly  whirled  along  the  narrow 
roads,  which  run  over  rolling  hills,  through  deep 
dales,  among  fjelds  and  along  fiords.  As  soon  as 
one  attraction  was  out  of  sight  a  grander  one  ap- 
peared in  view.  In  this  country  a  polite  custom 
prevails ;  the  people  always  lift  their  hats  to  a 
stranger  traveling  along  the  highway.  The  driver, 
who  stood  behind  me  holding  the  lines  over  my 
head,  often  prevented  me  from  lifting  mine  very 
high  as  I  returned  the  salutation. 

Northern  Gjerestad  is  situated  at  a  considerable 


138  Around  the  World. 

altitude.  The  highest  mountain  in  this  vicinity  is 
called  Myre-ausen,  and  is  a  summer  resort  for  the 
aristocracy,  who  come  up  into  this  picturesque 
region  on  account  of  the  grand  and  romantic 
scenery.  I  stood  on  the  very  highest  peak  of  this 
eminence,  and  enjoyed  the  most  magnificent  and 
the  most  extended  view  that  I  had  had  from  any 
peak  in  Europe.  From  this  point  I  could  get  a 
glimpse  of  Tellemarken's  highest  peaks,  and  see 
the  vessels  in  the  ocean  west  of  Jomfruland  hasten- 
ing on  their  way  over  the  North  Sea. 

The  scenery  was  wild  and  picturesque,  on  every 
side  towerinp-  mountains  and  cataracts  ;  and  the 
long  fiord  of  Gjerestad,  which  pierces  the  country 
for  many  miles,  appeared  like  a  glistening  streak 
of  silver.  I  concluded  that  this  must  be  the  Switz- 
erland of  the  North,  so  far  as  grand  and  romantic 
scenery  is  concerned. 

The  marriage  ceremony  is  probably  the  most 
curious  of  the  many  strange  customs  that  prevail 
in  this  far  northern  country.  The  contracting  par- 
ties must  have  the  bans  announced  in  church  three 
Sabbaths  in  succession,  preceding  the  day.  This 
gives  ample  time  for  investigation  or  objection  if 
there  is  any  one  desirous  of  preventing  the  match. 
A  wedding  is  always  a  most  brilliant  affair  in 
Norway.  The  wedding  festivities  take  place  at 
the  house  of  the  groom;  and,  as  all  the  friends 
and    relatives    at    home    and    abroad    are    invited, 


The   Wedding  Feast  —  Schools.  139 

there  is  generally  a  goodly  number  of  people 
assembled. 

The  wedding  is  called  a  "bryliip/'arid  feasting  and 
dancing  are  kept  up  for  two  or  three  days.  The 
first  day  the  entire  company  march  to  the  church, 
where  the  marriage  ceremony  is  performed  by  the 
minister.  On  returning  home  every  one  is  in  high 
glee,  and  eating,  drinking  and  dancing  are  indulged 
in  to  their  hearts'  content.  The  fattest  calves  and 
beeves  are  killed,  the  best  beverages  served,  and 
the  most  skillful  musicians  employed.  I  have  been 
fortunate  enough  to  be  one  of  the  guests  at  a  Nor- 
wegian wedding,  and  I  assure  you  that  a  "bryliip" 
is  a  thing  much  to  be  enjoyed,  and  long  to  be 
remembered.  This  marriage  custom  prevails 
throughout  Scandinavia,  and  in  many  other  parts 
of  Europe. 

Education  is  compulsory,  and,  upon  the  whole, 
well  cared  for.  Every  parish  has  its  schoolmaster, 
paid  partly  by  small  contributions  from  each  pupil, 
and  partly  from  the  proceeds  of  a  tax  on  house- 
holders. It  is  rare  to  find  anv  one  who  can  not  at 
least  read  and  write.  The  towns  have  superior 
schools.  Great  pains  are  taken  by  the  clergy  with 
the  religious  education  of  their  parishioners.  The 
religion  of  the  people  is  Lutheranism,  almost  with- 
out exception.  Probably  the  good  seed  sown  in 
childhood  is  not  without  its  beneficial  effect  in 
after  years,  as  there  are  fewer  criminals  in  the  pris- 


140  Around  the  World. 

ons  in  Norway,  in  proportion  to  the  population, 
than  in  America  and  many  countries  in  Europe. 

The  chief  resource  of  Gjerestad  is  the  lumber 
trade.  All  winter  the  logs  are  hauled  from  the 
extensive  pine  regions  to  the  fiords,  and,  as  soon  as 
the  ice  breaks  in  the  spring,  the  timber  is  tumbled 
into  the  fiords,  and  rafted  and  floated  down  to  the 
seaport,  and  exported  by  the  merchants. 

Owing  to  the  mountainous  character  of  the 
country,  there  is  comparatively  very  little  level 
land  ;  consequently,  grain  farms  are  small,  ma- 
chinery can  not  be  used  to  advantage,  and  the 
crops  are  planted  and  harvested  mainly  by  hand. 
The  hay  is  mowed  with  a  hand  scythe  by  the  men, 
and  raked  up  by  the  women. 

The  crops  are  planted  by  both  sexes.  In  the 
harvest  season  the  women  cut  the  grain  with 
sickles,  and  the  men  tie  it  in  bundles.  It  is  left  a 
few  days  to  dry,  and  then  hauled  into  the  spacious 
barns.  This  is  clone  with  two  rigs.  A  species  of 
rack  is  placed  either  on  a  sleigh  or  a  two-wheeled 
rig,  and  on  this  the  bundles  are  loaded.  The  man 
drives  into  the  centre  of  the  barn,  unhitches  the 
horse  from  the  wagon,  and  then  goes  back  to  the 
field  for  the  other  one.  While  he  is  away  a  serv- 
ant girl  unloads.  This  is  kept  up  until  the  last 
bundle  is  removed  from  the  field,  and  stored  in  the 
barn.  In  the  winter  the  grain  is  threshed  on  the 
barn  floor  with  flails  by  the  maid  servants.      In  the 


General  Prosperity  of  the  People.  141 

evening-,  when  they  are  resting  from  their  labors, 
they  are  busily  engaged  in  spinning.  These  small 
farmers  take  great  pride  in  building  lofty  houses, 
which  they  paint  mostly  red. 

While  the  people  in  Norway,  as  a  rule,  are  not 
wealthy,  neither  does  extreme  poverty  exist.  The 
people  are  happy,  industrious  and  honest;  they  are 
simple  in  their  tastes  and  habits,  but  kind  and  hos- 
pitable. They  are  among  the  best  sailors  in  the 
world,  large  numbers  of  the  population  being 
engaged  from  early  life  in  coast  fisheries,  which  are 
an  excellent  school  for  seamen,  the  navigation 
among  the  islands,  shoals  and  narrow  channels, 
being-  intricate  and  dangerous. 

Though  Norway  is  situated  in  a  comparatively 
remote  region,  and  is  the  most  sparsely  populated 
country  in  Europe,  she  is  on  the  steady  road  to 
prosperity. 

I  was  so  busily  engaged  in  visiting  and  sight- 
seeing that  the  days  rolled  swiftly  by,  and,  almost 
before  I  was  aware  of  it,  the  time  had  come  for  me 
to  leave  one  of  the  most  interesting  places  on  my 
whole  journey.  The  last  good-bye  was  said,  and  I 
started  once  more  on  my  journey  around  the  globe, 
with  forty  thousand  miles  of  it  yet  to  travel  before 
that  journey  could  be  accomplished. 

From  Gjerestad  I  traveled  westward  to  Chris- 
tiansand,  a  distance  of  eighty-five  miles.  Part  of 
this  journey  I  traveled  by  land,  and  the  remainder 


142  Around  the  World. 

by  water.  At  Risor,  the  first  seaport,  I  embarked 
on  a  coast  steamer  for  Christiansand.  On  the  way 
we  made  landing  at  the  following  towns  :  Twedes- 
trand,  Arendal  and  Lillesand.  The  scenery  all 
along  the  coast  is  picturesque  in  the  extreme. 

Christiansand  is  a  fortified  town  on  the  North 
Sea,  in  Southern  Norway,  ranking  next  to  Chris- 
tiania  and  Bergen  as  an  important  seaport  of  the 
country.  It  is  situated  at  the  mouth  of  a  deep  and 
well  sheltered  harbor,  and  is  surrounded  on  three 
sides  by  cliffs  of  uniform  height.  The  houses, 
mostly  of  painted  wood,  are  regularly  built,  and 
the  streets  are  wide.  There  is  a  fine  cathedral  and 
a  cathedral  school.  The  ship-building  and  the  for- 
tifications are  among  the  principal  attractions. 


Crossing  the  North  Sea.  143 


CHAPTER  VII. 

ACROSS  THE  NORTH  SEA,  GERMANY  AND  THE  ALPS. 

On  the  7th  of  October  I  embarked  on  the 
Bergen  steamer  Palace  for  Hamburg.  On  this 
voyage  we  had  to  travel  over  the  North  Sea  for  a 
distance  of  four  hundred  English  miles.  It  was  a 
very  rough  passage,  as  a  heavy  gale  was  blowing  ; 
and,  if  one  desired  a  promenade  on  the  lower  deck, 
he  would  have  to  take  it  knee  deep  in  water. 
Under  such  circumstances  I  preferred  to  remain  in 
my  small  state-room,  for  the  cabin  was  small  and 
uncomfortable  for  passengers.  We  had  on  board 
a  heavy  cargo  of  fish.  The  North  Sea.  was  the 
stormiest  body  of  water  I  had  sailed  on  up  to  this 
time,  and  it  has  the  reputation  of  being  the  rough- 
est water  in  the  northern  world. 

I  had  now  been  on  shore  for  several  weeks,  and 
had  again  to  get  accustomed  to  the  sea.  Seeing 
me  in  one  of  my  worst  spells  of  sea-sickness,  the 
captain  said  ;  "  Well!  Mr.  Johnson,  I  can  not  see 
where  you  can  find  any  pleasure  in  your  tour 
around  the  world  if  you  can  not  stand  the  sea  any 
better  than  this."  I  told  him  I  probably  would  not 
find  much  amusement  were  the  North  Sea  to  follow 


144  Around  the  World. 

me  all  the  way  around,  but  that  in  the  beginning  I 
had  expected  to  experience  many  unpleasant  things. 
The  sights  I  saw  and  the  pleasures  I  experienced 
in  all  the  countries  and  amongst  the  various  nations 
I  visited  were  sufficient  in  all  instances  to  repay  me 
for  the  comparatively  few  uncomfortable  days  I 
had  to  endure  while  traveling  on  the  ocean.  This 
rough  passage,  however,  was  not  without  some  at- 
traction ;  for  I  was  much  interested  in  watching 
the  multitude  of  vessels  which  were  traversing  the 
waters  of  this  sea,  each  with  spreading  sails  hurry- 
ing along-  to  its  destination. 

On  the  9th  of  October  we  steamed  up  the  Elbe 
River  to  the  busy  city  of  Hamburg,  one  of  the 
free  cities  of  Germany,  and  I  once  more  found  my- 
self on  German  soil.  I  gave  a  brief  description  of 
this  city,  however,  as  I  made  my  northward  trip. 

At  Hamburg  I  took  the  cars  for  Frankfort-on- 
the-Main.  We  traveled  over  a  level  and  moist  val- 
ley for  a  hundred  miles,  when  we  arrived  at  Hano- 
ver, a  city  of  about  150,000  inhabitants,  situated  in 
a  sandy,  fertile  plain.  The  River  Leine  flows 
through  the  city,  having  the  old  town  on  its  right 
bank,  and  the  new  town  between  its  left  bank  and 
the  River  Ihme.  The  old  town  is  irregularly  built, 
with  narrow  streets  and  old-fashioned  houses ; 
while  the  new  town  has  wide  streets,  handsome 
buildings  and  beautiful  squares.  Of  the  latter  the 
most  remarkable  is  the  square  at  the  railway  ter- 


Gottingen  —  Frankfort-on-the-Main.        145 

minus,  which  has  an  equestrian    statue    of    King 
Ernest  Augustus. 

The  distance  from  Hanover  to  Frankfort  is  200 
miles.  The  road  runs  through  a  fertile  valley, 
which  is  almost  as  densely  populated  as  the 
suburbs  of  a  city.  This  vast  expanse  of  country 
is  as  uniformly  level  as  Stanislaus  County,  in  Cali- 
fornia, and  struck  me  as  being  the  finest  agricul- 
tural country  in  Europe.  The  roadways  are  lined 
with  shade  trees,  and  on  every  side  can  be  seen  the 
comfortable  homes  of  the  industrious  farmers. 
The  first  city  of  importance  on  this  route  is  Got- 
tingen, which  is  quite  a  railway  centre.  Here  we 
changed  cars  for  Frankfort,  as  I  had  decided  to 
travel  by  the  way  of  Bebra  and  Fulda.  At  the 
southern  end  of  this  road  the  country  is  inclined  to 
be  hilly,  the  soil  is  of  a  reddish  character,  and  is 
planted  to  fruit  trees  and  vines. 

Frankfort-on-the-Main  is  one  of  the  principal 
cities  of  the  German  Empire.  It  is  situated  in  the 
Prussian  province  of  Hesse  Nassau,  and  was,  until 
1866,  one  of  the  four  free  cities  of  Germany.  It 
occupies  a  position  of  no  small  natural  beauty  in 
the  midst  of  the  broad  and  fertile  valley  of  the 
Main,  its  northern  horizon  being  formed  by  the 
soft  outlines  of  the  Taunns  range.  The  surround- 
ing  country  is  richly  clad  with  orchard  and  forest, 
and,  in  the  spring  season  especially,  presents  a 
prospect  of  indescribable  luxuriance.  I  found 
10 


146  Around  the  World. 

Frankfort  an  interesting  and  attractive  city,  with  a 
population  of  about  150,000.  It  has  the  reputa- 
tion of  being  the  richest  city  in  the  world  in  pro- 
portion to  its  population.  The  bulk  of  the  capital 
of  Germany  is  concentrated  here. 

In  the  modern  portion,  Frankfort  will  compare 
favorably,  both  in  the  general  appearance  of  the 
streets  and  the  architectural  character  of  indi- 
vidual buildings,  with  all  except  a  very  few  of  the 
greater  cities  of  the  Continent.  Among  the  most 
attractive  features  of  the  city  are  the  princely  man- 
sions of  the  Rothschilds  and  other  opulent  citizens. 
The  dingy  and  unpretentious  house  which  saw  the 
rise  of  the  Rothschild  family  still  stands  in  the 
famous  Judenstrasse,  or  Jews'  street.  The  princi- 
pal ecclesiastical  building  is  the  Cathedral  of  St. 
Bartholomew.  The  date  of  its  foundation  is  not 
precisely  known  ;  but  a  church  was  erected  on  the 
site  at  least  as  early  as  874. 

Of  the  secular  buildings,  perhaps  the  most  char- 
acteristic is  the  Rathhaus,  or  Romer,  dating  from 
the  fifteenth  century.  It  was  here,  in  the  Wahl- 
zimmer,  or  election-room,  that  the  electors  or  their 
plenipotentiaries  decided  the  choice  of  the  Em- 
peror ;  and  here,  in  the  Kaiser  Halle,  or  Emperor's 
Hall,  that  the  coronation  festivities  were  held.  The 
palace  of  the  Prince  of  Thurn  and  Taxis  is  a  large 
building  of  considerable  historical  interest.  The 
Eschenheim    Tower   is  a  picturesque   relic   of  the 


Heidelberg.  147 

ancient  fortifications,  dating  from  the  middle  of  the 
fourteenth  century. 

Few  cities  of  the  same  size  as  Frankfort  are  so 
richly  furnished  with  literary,  scientific  and  artistic 
institutions,  or  possess  so  many  handsome  build- 
ings appropriated  to  their  use.  The  museums,  the 
zoological  gardens  and  the  beautiful  pleasure 
grounds  are  all  worthy  of  a  visit.  There  are  four 
railway  stations,  which,  with  the  exception  of  the 
one  at  Stuttgart,  are  the  finest  depots  in  Germany. 
The  climate  in  this  portion  of  the  empire  is  similar 
to  that  of  France  or  Italy. 

I  left  Frankfort  for  Italy  on  October  12,  going 
by  way  of  Heidelberg,  Carlsruhe,  Stuttgart  and 
Baden-Baden.  These  are  all  important  cities, 
situated  in  a  productive  valley  in  the  south  of  Ger- 
many. On  the  south  bank  of  the  Neckar,  about 
twelve  miles  from  the  junction  of  that  river  with 
the  Rhine,  and  at  the  opening  of  the  winding 
Neckar  Valley,  the  situation  of  Heidelberg  is  one 
of  romantic  beauty.  Behind  it  and  before  it  rise 
lofty  hills  covered  with  vineyards  and  forests,  and 
between  their  fertile  slopes  the  Neckar  rushes 
swiftly  along.  To  the  left  the  country  opens  out 
into  the  broad  Rhine  plain,  cultivated  like  a  garden, 
and  bounded  by  distant  and  hardly  perceptible 
mountains. 

The  chief  building  in  Heidelberg,  and,  indeed, 
the    principal   attraction   for   the    stranger,   is   the 


148  Around  the  World. 

famous  castle  which  overhangs  the  western  part  of 
the  town.  It  is  situated  on  the  castle  hill,  more 
properly  called  Jettenbuhel,  330  feet  above  the 
Neckar.  Though  now  a  ruin,  yet  its  extent,  its 
magnificence,  its  beautiful  situation,  and  its  inter- 
esting history  render  it  by  far  the  most  noteworthy, 
as  it  certainly  is  the  grandest  and  largest,  of  the 
old  castles  of  Germany.  The  University  of  Hei- 
delberg is  the  oldest  in  the  German  Kingdom. 

Carlsruhe,  the  capital  of  the  Grand  Duchy  of 
Baden,  I  found  to  be  an  enterprising  city  of  55,000 
inhabitants.  It  lies  on  an  elevated  plain  about 
five  miles  from  the  Rhine,  and  is  surrounded  by 
beautiful  parks  and  gardens.  It  has  several  public 
gardens  and  some  fine  squares.  In  the  centre  of 
the  market  place  is  a  pyramid  in  honor  of  Charles 
William,  the  founder  of  the  city.  Carlsruhe  car- 
ries on  a  considerable  trade,  and  has  quite  a  number 
of  manufactories. 

Baden-Baden,  a  celebrated  watering  place,  stands 
on  the  side  of  a  hill,  near  the  Ovs,  or  Oel,  in  a 
beautiful  valley  of  the  Black  Forest,  eighteen  miles 
southwest  of  Carlsruhe.  The  superiority  of  its 
situation,  its  extensive  pleasure  grounds,  gardens 
and  promenades,  and  the  brilliancy  of  its  life  dur- 
ing the  fashionable  season,  have  for  a  long  series 
of  years  continued  to  attract  visitors  from  all  parts 
of  the  world.  The  hot  springs,  which  were  among 
the  earliest  attractions  of  the  place,  are  twenty-nine 


Stuttgart.  149 

in  number.  They  flow  from  the  castle  rock  at  the 
rate  of  ninety  gallons  per  minute,  and  the  water  is 
conveyed  through  the  town  in  pipes  to  supply  the 
different  baths.  The  gaming  tables,  for  so  many 
years  a  striking  feature  of  Baden-Baden,  are  now 
abolished. 

Stuttgart,  the  capital  of  the  Kingdom  of  Wiir- 
temberg,  is  situated  on  the  River  Nesan,  a  tribu- 
tary of  the  Neckar.  It  stands  in  a  very  beautiful 
valley,  surrounded  by  vine-clad  hills,  with  well- 
wooded  mountains  in  the  distance.  The  town  is 
encircled  by  a  wall  and  ditch,  is  entered  by  eight 
gates,  and  consists  of  two  parts,  the  ancient  and 
modern,  with  two  suburbs.  In  the  chief  square  is 
a  fine  old  Gothic  church,  with  a  high  tower  and 
many  ancient  sculptures  and  monuments  of  the 
princes  of  Wiirtemberg.  In  the  vicinity  are 
numerous  parks  and  gardens,  where  the  public  are 
admitted,  including  Rosenstein,  the  summer  palace 
of  the  Kinor 

Stuttgart  is  a  very  ancient  town  ;  but  the  date  of 
its  foundation  is  not  known.  It  has  one  of  the 
finest  and  most  spacious  railway  depots  in  the 
world.  On  arriving  at  the  station,  we  had  to 
descend  a  long  flight  of  stairs,  go  underneath  the 
track,  and  come  up  on  the  other  side  of  the  station. 
Many  of  the  depots  in  Europe  are  constructed  on 
this  plan.  However  odd  this  may  seem  to  be,  it 
guards  against  accidents  that  might  otherwise 
occur. 


150  Around  the  World. 

The  country  is  very  thickly  settled,  and  one  is 
hardly  ever  out  of  sight  of  villages  or  towns.-  I 
had  now  traveled  the  whole  leneth  of  the  German 
Empire  twice  in  two  months,  and  had  seen  much 
of  the  life  and  resources  of  these  industrious 
people.  I  did  not  see  much  of  the  mountain  scen- 
ery, but  was  greatly  surprised  in  finding  such  a 
vast  area  of  level  land.  Much  of  it  was  irrigated, 
and  all  well  cultivated.  Notwithstanding  that  the 
country  is  densely  settled  and  seemingly  over- 
populated,  the  people  appeared  to  be  happy  and 
prosperous.  I  concluded  that  economy  and  indus- 
try did  it  all. 

I  crossed  the  River  Rhine,  and  once  more  found 
myself  in  Switzerland.  Before  leaving  the  Rhine, 
however,  I  must  not  neglect  to  mention  the  delight- 
ful ride  I  had  on  this  most  beautiful  river.  I  found 
its  banks  lined  with  gigantic  trees,  their  branches 
projecting  over  the  water's  edge.  The  sources  of 
the  Rhine  are  found  in  the  Swiss  Canton  of 
Grisons.  It  is  about  800  miles  in  length,  and 
drains  an  area  of  75,000  square  miles.  It  connects 
the  highest  Alps  with  the  mud  banks  of  Holland, 
is  the  chief  river  of  Germany,  and  has  been  one 
of  the  most  important  waterways  of  Europe  from 
the  earliest  times,  to  which  the  long  array  of 
ancient  and  flourishing  towns  along  its  banks  bear 
witness. 

Politically  the  Rhine  has  always  played  a  great 


Recrossing  the  Alps.  151 

part,  and  it  would  require  no  great  strain  to  write 
a  history  of  this  majestic  river  which  would  also  be 
a  history  of  the  western  half  of  Continental  Eu- 
rope. In  military  history  constant  allusion  is  made 
to  the  Rhine.  Every  general  who  has  fought  in 
its  neighborhood  has  at  one  time  or  another  had 
to  improvise  a  means  of  crossing  it,  from  Julius 
Caesar,  who  crossed  it  twice,  down  to  our  own 
time. 

It  has  always  exercised  a  peculiar  sort  of  fasci- 
nation over  the  German  mind,  in  a  measure  and 
in  a  way  not  easily  paralleled  by  the  case  of  any 
other  river.  "  Father  Rhine,"  as  it  is  sometimes 
called,  is  the  centre  of  the  German's  patriotism. 
In  his  literature  it  has  played  a  prominent  part, 
and  its  weird  and  romantic  legends  have  been  alter- 
nately the  awe  and  the  delight  of  his  childhood. 
It  was  the  classic  river  of  the  middle  ages,  and 
probably  the  Tiber  alone  is  of  equal  historical 
interest. 

In  crossing  the  Alps  the  second  time,  I  traveled 
by  way  of  the  St.  Gothard  Tunnel,  the  longest  tun- 
nel in  the  world,  having  a  total  length  of  ten  miles, 
and  requiring  forty  minutes  to  pass  through  it. 
While  I  have  said  much  in  praise  of  Germany's 
stately  cities,  extensive  and  fertile  valleys,  and 
majestic  rivers,  the  palm  must  be  accorded  to 
Switzerland  for  grand  and  picturesque  mountain 
scenery,  and  beautiful    lakes.     At  the  foot   of  the 


152  Around  the  World. 

Alps  on  this  route,  is  a  pastoral  region,  the  chief 
resource  of  which  is  stock-raising.  Here  I  saw  the 
largest  breed  of  cattle  in  Europe.  They  were 
feeding  on  mountain  sides  so  steep  that  one  won- 
dered how  they  managed  to  maintain  their  equi- 
librium. 

Lake  Lucerne  was  my  first  stopping  place.  This 
lake  has  extraordinary  interest  for  the  lover  of 
natural  scenery,  and  for  all  who  feel  a  sympathy 
with  the  story  of  Swiss  independence.  The 
irregularity  of  its  form  is  the  chief  cause  of  the 
unequaled  variety  of  its  scenery  ;  but  the  structure 
of  the  mountains  that  enclose  it  much  enhances  the 
effect.  Its  eastern  portion  lies  amid  limestone 
rocks,  which  are  marked  by  sharp  peaks  and  ridges 
and  precipitous  crags ;  the  middle  part  is  enclosed 
by  such  mountains  as  the  Righi  and  the  Burgen- 
stein,  which  show  steep  faces,  with  gently  sloping 
summits  ;  while  the  western  extremity  is  surrounded 
by  swelling  hills,  richly  planted,  and  dotted  with 
bright-looking  hamlets  or  solitary  farm  houses. 

The  forests  which  once  covered  the  greater  part 
of  this  region  have  been  extensively  thinned  out ; 
but  enough  yet  remains  to  add  another  element  to 
the  charms  of  the  scenery.  Vineyards  are  scarcely 
seen  on  the  shores  of  the  lake  ;  but  orchards  sur- 
round most  of  the  houses,  and  the  walnut  grows  to 
great  perfection. 

On  the  shores  of  this  lake  were  nurtured  the 


Whirlwinds  and  Avalanches.  153 

men  who  commenced  the  heroic  efforts  that  secured 
freedom  for  their  country.  Here,  at  the  beginning 
of  the  fourteenth  century,  in  an  age  when  nearly 
all  Europe  was  in  the  hands  of  feudal  oppressors, 
a  handful  of  mountaineers  drove  out  the  local 
tyrants  and  leveled  their  strongholds,  and,  a  few 
years  later,  on  the  fields  of  Morgarten  and  Sem- 
pach,  confronted  and  put  to  flight  the  chivalry  of 
Austria. 

I  had  the  pleasure  of  riding  with  some  tourists 
from  America  on  one  of  the  small  steamers  which 
traverse  the  waters  of  this  lake.  There  are  many 
other  Alpine  lakes  of  great  beauty  which  I  visited 
while  journeying  across  the  Alps.  The  whirlwinds 
of  the  Alps  are  worthy  of  notice,  not  only  on 
account  of  their  terrific  violence,  often  overwhelm- 
ing the  hapless  traveler  with  blinding  snow,  but  on 
account  of  their  frequently  setting  in  motion  the 
dreaded  avalanche.  So  precipitous  are  the  slopes 
of  many  of  the  Alpine  peaks  that  the  giving  way 
of  a  slight  barrier,  a  tree  or  a  boulder  perhaps,  is 
sufficient  to  detach  from  its  original  position  a  vast 
mass  of  snow  and  ice.  This,  gathering  force  from 
its  fall,  brings  sudden  and  inevitable  destruction  on 
whatever  may  be  on  its  track,  burying  at  times 
whole  villages,  crushing  extensive  forests,  and 
filling  up  the  beds  of  rivers. 


154  Around  the  World. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

ITALY,   GIBRALTAR    AND    MALTA. 

On  descending  the  Alps  into  Italy,  the  first  city 
of  importance  is  Milan,  lying  in  the  middle  of  the 
fertile  plain  of  the  Lombard.  It  has  a  population 
of  nearly  300,000.  Seen  from  the  top  of  the 
cathedral,  the  surrounding  country  presents  the 
appearance  of  a  great  garden,  divided  into  square 
plats  by  rows  of  mulberry  or  poplar  trees.  Milan 
is  built  in  a  circle,  the  cathedral  beino-  the  central 
point,  and  is  surrounded  by  a  wall  seven  miles  in 
circumference.  Immediately  outside  the  wall,  a 
fine  broad  thoroughfare  makes  the  circuit  of  the 
city.  The  streets  inside  are,  for  the  most  part, 
narrow  and  crooked. 

Among  the  noted  buildings  the  cathedral  is  the 
most  important.  It  is  built  of  brick  cased  in 
marble  from  the  quarries  which  Visconti  gave  in 
perpetuity  to  the  Cathedral  Chapter.  It  is  447 
feet  in  length  and  183  feet  wide  ;  the  cupola  is  226 
feet  high,  and  the  tower  360  feet.  The  roof  is 
built  of  blocks  of  white  marble  ;  is  supported  by 
fifty-two  columns,  with  canopied  niches  for  statues; 
and  is  ornamented  with  turrets,  pinnacles,  and  2,000 


Milan. 


155 


statues.  The  name  of  the  original  architect  is  not 
known  ;  but  it  is  certain  that  many  German  master 
masons  were  called  to  Milan  to  assist  the  Italian 
builders. 

There  are  four  other  churches  of  interest  in  Mi- 
lan.    St.  Ambrose's,  the  oldest,  was  founded  by  St. 


^m-'^m 


Mila^i  Cathedral. 


Ambrose,  in  the  fourth  century,  on  the  ruins  of  the 
Temple  of  Bacchus.  The  royal  and  archiepiscopal 
palaces  are  both  worthy  of  note  I  also  visited 
the  Arsenal,  the  Crematory  and  the  theatres. 
With   the  exception   of  the  St.   Carlo,   at   Naples, 


156,  Around  the  World. 

Milan  has  the  largest  theatre  in  Europe.  Milan 
is  rich  in  works  of  art,  and  it  has  been  the  home 
of  many  excellent  sculptors  and  architects.  The 
picture  gallery  of  the  Breva  is  one  of  the  finest  in 
Italy. 

As  I  was  again  in  a  new  country,  my  baggage 
must  be  examined  at  the  custom  house.  At  the 
time  of  my  visit  to  Italy  the  cholera  was  raging, 
and  all  baggage  was  put  into  an  intensely  hot  cell 
for  about  ten  minutes.  This  was  required  as  a  pre- 
caution against  the  epidemic.  While  undergoing 
this  process  of  purification,  my  leather  valise  had  a 
hole  burned  in  it. 

Once  more  I  had  to  contend  with  new  customs, 
new  coin,  and,  worst  of  all,  an  unfamiliar  language. 
I  had  to  employ  an  interpreter  to  point  out  the  ob- 
jects of  interest  and  explain  the  many  strange 
sights.  The  ordinary  fee  for  such  services  is  five 
francs  a  day,  and  as  much  more  as  they  can  get  out 
of  the  unwary  stranger.  The  traveler  on  the  south 
side  of  the  Alps  is  subject  to  constant  annoyance 
from  beggars,  and  all  sorts  of  imposition  from  run- 
ners and  guides. 

From  Milan  to  Venice  was  a  ten-hours  ride  on 
the  cars.  The  northern  half  of  this  route  was 
over  a  moist  and  level  valley,  thickly  planted  to 
vines  and  fruit  trees.  All  kinds  of  vegetation 
grow  in  profusion,  and  the  roadway  for  miles  was 
lined  with  ornamental  shade  trees.      I  was  almost 


Verona  —Venice.  157 

tempted  to  think  I  had  found  the  Paradise  of 
Europe.  The  Italian  women  are  not  behind  their 
sisters  on  the  other  side  of  the  Alps  so  far  as  out- 
door labor  is  concerned.  Everywhere  in  the  fields 
or  gardens  they  could  be  seen  busily  engaged  in 
hoeing,  raking  or  pruning.  For  this  hard  and 
constant  toil  they  are  poorly  remunerated. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  cities  we  pass  be- 
tween Milan  and  Venice  is  Verona.  This  is  a  very 
ancient  city,  and  the  date  of  its  foundation  is  un- 
known ;  but  Julius  Caesar  established  a  colony 
here,  and  under  the  Romans  it  became  a  flourish- 
ing city.  It  has  a  population  of  about  65,000. 
Verona  is  situated  on  both  sides  of  the  river 
Adige,  which  is  crossed  by  four  stone  bridges. 
The  town  is  surrounded  by  extensive  fortifications, 
and  has  five  gates.  Many  of  the  streets  are  nar- 
row and  dusty  ;  but  some  are  wide  and  well  kept. 
It  stands  in  a  beautiful  country  at  the  foot  of  the 
hills  which  form  a  portion  of  the  Tyrolese  Alps. 

Venice  is  on  the  Gulf  of  Venice,  which  is  prop- 
erly a  portion  of  the  Adriatic  Sea.  About  four 
miles  from  the  coast  is  a  long  and  narrow  belt  with 
a  number  of  openings  through  which  the  waters  of 
the  Adriatic  Sea  make  their  way,  forming  a  lagoon 
from  twenty-five  to  thirty  miles  long  and  about  five 
miles  broad  and  containing  seventy-two  small 
islands.  Into  this  lagoon,  piles  have  been  driven, 
and  upon  them  Venice  has  been  built,  so  that  from 


(158) 


Grand  Canal — Rialto — Gondolas.         159 

any  point  the  city  seems  to  be  floating  in  the  water. 
It  is  an  extremely  interesting  place  to  the  sight- 
seer. Communication  between  the  various  parts 
of  the  city  is  by  water.  There  are  only  two  streets 
worthy  of  the  name, — Mauria,  which  is  situated  in 
the  centre  of  the  city,  and  is  from  twelve  to  twenty 
feet  wide  ;  and  the  Piazza  of  St.  Mark,  with  the 
Piazzetta  leading-  from  it  to  the  canal.  The  Piazza 
is  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  handsome  buildings, 
and  is  a  favorite  resort  for  loungers  and  tourists. 

The  Grand  Canal  is  from  ioo  to  180  feet  wide, 
and  is  lined  on  both  sides  by  magnificent  buildings, 
many  of  which  come  down  to  the  water's  edge,  so 
that  people  step  from  them  into  the  gondolas. 
There  are  146  smaller  canals,  which  arc  crossed  by 
360  bridges;  but  over  the  Grand  Canal,  there  is 
only  one,  called  the  Rialto.  This  is  a  magnificent 
marble  structure,  built  in  1590,  at  a  cost  of  -more 
than  half  a  million  dollars. 

The  gondolas,  which  in  Venice  take  the  place  of 
carriages  and  fast  horses  in  other  cities,  are  a 
species  of  barge.  They  are  flat  bottomed,  usually 
about  thirty  feet  long,  are  as  narrow  as  a  canoe, 
and  are  always  painted  black.  The  bows  terminate 
in  sharp  points,  ornamented  with  brass,  which 
curve  upward  like  a  goose's  neck  to  the  height  of 
several  feet.  Near  the  centre  of  the  gondola  is  a 
small  cabin  with  glazed  windows  hung  with  black 
curtains.      The  gondoliers,  or  boatmen,   are  gener- 


160  Around  the  World. 

ally  barefooted  and  half  clad.  They  are  so  expert 
in  the  management  of  their  craft  that  a  collision  or 
accident  is  almost  unknown,  notwithstanding  the 
fact  that  in  some  quarters  the  water  is  fairly 
swarming  with  boats.  The  city  is  full  of  gondo- 
liers, runners,  guides,  beggars  and  peddlers,  all 
lying  in  wait  for  an  opportunity  to  squeeze  the 
loose  change  from  the  traveling  public. 

Venice  was  at  one  time  one  of  the  proudest  and 
wealthiest  cities  in  Southern  Europe,  and  carried 
on  an  extensive  commerce  ;  but  for  several  cen- 
turies her  commerce  has  been  declinine,  the  ma- 
jority  of  her  people  have  relapsed  into  indolence 
and  vice,  and  her  magnificent  palaces  are  slowly 
falling  into  decay. 

The  public  buildings  are  numerous  and  splendid. 
The  most  important  of  the  churches  is  the  Cathe- 
dral of  St.  Mark.  The  foundations  of  this  church 
were  laid  in  977  ;  but  it  was  not  entirely  completed 
until  mi.  It  is  built  in  the  form  of  a  Greek 
cross,  with  the  addition  of  porches.  While  it  was 
building,  every  vessel  returning  from  the  East  to 
Venice  was  obliged  to  bring  pillars  and  marble  for 
its  construction.  The  principal  front  is  1 70  feet 
wide,  and  has  500  columns  of  various  shapes  and 
colors.  Over  the  central  vestibule  stand  the  cele- 
brated bronze  horses  which  were  brought  from  the 
hippodrome  at  Constantinople  when  that  city  was 
taken  by  the  Crusaders.     They  are  said  to  have 


♦         The  Arsenal  —  Bridge  of  Sighs.  161 

been  cast  twenty-seven  years  before  the  birth  of 
Christ.  In  1797  they  were  carried  to  Paris  by 
Napoleon,  but  were  restored  in  18 15.  The  inte- 
rior of  the  church  is  exceedingly  beautiful,  the  floor 
is  of  tessellated  mosaic  work,  and  the  walls  and 
columns  of  different  kinds  of  marble. 

In  nothing  is  the  past  greatness  of  the  Venetian 
Republic  better  illustrated  than  in  the  Arsenal,  a 
large  building  on  an  island  in  the  eastern  part  of 
the  city.  It  is  surrounded  by  extensive  ramparts. 
Near  the  principal  entrance  stand  four  lions  in 
bronze,  which  were  brought  from  Greece  in  1685. 
At  one  time  16,000  workmen  were  employed  at  the 
Arsenal.  At  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century 
many  of  the  curiosities  of  the  model-room  were 
destroyed  by  the  revolutionists,  among  them  the 
Bucentoro,  the  vessel  in  which  the  doge  annually 
espoused  the  sea.  This  ceremony  was  intended  to 
illustrate  the  dominion  of  the  republic  over  the 
Adriatic  Sea. 

One  of  the  most  imposing  public  buildings  is 
the  ducal  palace.  This  palace  contains  many  mag- 
nificent rooms,  and  is  enriched  with  splendid  paint- 
ings, some  of  which  are  among  the  earliest  speci- 
mens of  oil  painting  on  canvas.  Opposite  the 
palace,  and  connected  with  it  by  the  Bridge  of 
Sighs,  are  the  public  prisons,  capable  of  containing 
500  persons.  At  the  right  of  the  Cathedral  of  St. 
Mark  is  a  lofty  bell  tower,  ninety-eight  metres  high, 
11 


162  Around  the  World.  * 

built  in  1494.  It  contains  a  curious  clock,  above 
which  are  two  large  bronze  figures  which  strike  the 
hours  upon  a  bell.  I  also  visited  the  museum,  the 
Academy  of  Fine  Arts,  and  the  glass  manufac- 
tories. Up  to  the  close  of  the  last  century,  Venice 
was  the  teacher  of  Europe  in  the  manufacture  of 
glass,  and  her  wares  were  the  most  perfect  and 
elegant  in  use.  All  kinds  of  glassware  can  be 
seen  here,  from  the  daintiest  bijoutry  to  the  largest 
French  plate  mirror. 

I  was  importuned  on  every  side  to  purchase  ex- 
pensive presents  for  my  friends  of  the  feminine 
persuasion  in  America  ;  but,  as  much  of  my  journey 
was  yet  to  be  accomplished,  and  with  the  inevitable 
custom  house  always  looming  up  before  me,  I 
resolutely  declined  to  handicap  myself  with  more 
luggage.  The  guides,  of  course,  were  always 
anxious  to  assist  the  salesmen  in  disposing  of  their 
wares,  and  for  this  assistance  they  generally  receive 
commissions.  The  hotel  which  leads  all  others  in 
Venice  is  the  Hotel  de  Italy,  a  stately  structure  of 
two  hundred  rooms.  Accommodations  can  be  had 
for  fifteen  francs  per  day.  The  dining  tables  were 
beautifully  decorated  with  glassware.  The  popu- 
lation of  the  city  seems  to  be  a  mixture  of  almost 
every  element  and  every  nationality,  and  numbers 
about  144,000. 

On  the  26th  of  October  I  left  Venice  for  Flor- 
ence, which  is  ten  hours'  ride  from  the  former  city. 


Bologna  —  Florence.  163 

Midway  between  the  two  cities  is  Bologna.  This 
city  is  about  two  miles  long,  and  a  mile  and  a  half 
broad  ;  it  is  surrounded  by  a  high  brick  wall,  and 
has  twelve  gates.  The  streets  are  generally 
narrow  and  crooked,  but  clean  and  well  paved ; 
the  houses  mostly  three  stories  high,  and  all  public 
and  private  buildings  built  of  brick.  It  has  a 
population  of  160,000.  This  city  contains  no  less 
than  130  churches,  the  largest  of  which  is  San 
Petronio,  an  unfinished  but  splendid  structure, 
which  dates  from  1390.  Bologna  has  long  been 
famous  for  its  sausages  and  its  soap,  its  manufac- 
tures comprising  many  other  varieties  of  articles 
as  well.  It  is  the  birthplace  of  many  famous  men, 
and  is  very  ancient.  It  is  said  to  have  been 
founded  by  an  Etruscan  king. 

From  Bologna  to  Florence  the  road  runs  over  a 
mountainous  country,  and  we  passed  through 
twenty-four  tunnels,  some  of  them  very  difficult  of 
construction.  Florence  is  situated  on  both  sides 
of  the  River  Arno,  which  here  flows  through  a 
wide  valley.  On  the  north  the  city  is  bounded  by 
spurs  of  the  Apennines,  on  the  south  by  low  hills 
belonging  to  the  same  range.  The  climate  is 
salubrious.  The  situation  and  surroundings  are 
extremely  beautiful,  the  soil  in  the  vicinity  is 
remarkably  fertile,  and  corn,  vines  and  olives  cover 
hill  and  valley  ;  while  the  mountains,  which  rise 
3,000  feet  above  the  city,  are  covered  with  cypress, 


164  Around  the  World. 

chestnut  and  pine.      The  country  is  noted  for  its 
abundance  of  flowers.  , 

The  Florentines  are  gentle  and  courteous  in  their 
manners,  and  were  seemingly  the  most  refined  peo- 
ple on  the  southern  side  of  the  Alps.  The  city  is 
well  supplied  with  parks  and  squares.  The  Casino, 
a  large  extent  of  ground  planted  in  long  avenues, 
of  trees,  is  the  fashionable  resort  of  the  nobility  of 
Florence.  The  Boboli  Garden,  which  belongs  to 
the  royal  palace,  is  open  twice  a  week  to  the  public, 
and,  with  its  statues,  fountains,  terraces  and  trim 
alleys,  is  the  delight  of  the  Florentines.  The 
streets  are  paved  with  stone,  which  for  centuries 
has  been  obtained  from  quarries  south  of  the  city. 

There  are  many  stately  and  beautiful  mansions 
here,  and  among  the  most  princely  structures  is  one 
belonging  to  Mackay,  the  Nevada  Silver  King. 
Florence  contains  over  170  churches,  among  the 
most  remarkable  being  the  Badia,  or  ancient  abbey  ; 
the  cathedral,  Sta.  Maria  Novella,  San  Marco  and 
the  Annunziata.  These  churches  are  very  ancient, 
and  of  enormous  size. 

The  Art  Gallery  contains  some  of  the  finest  paint- 
ings in  the  world,  including  several  of  Raphael's 
and  Titian's  masterpieces.  A  room  called  the  Tri- 
bune contains  the  greatest  treasures  of  the  gallery, 
and  here  are  placed  the  most  celebrated  statues  of 
antiquity.  The  Egyptian  Museum  is  small,  but 
contains  many  objects  of  interest.     The  Museum 


From  Florence  to  Rome.  165 

of  Etruscan  Art,  which  is  situated  under  the  same 
roof,  contains  a  collection  of  ancient  mosaics  and 
bronze,  the  most  important  of  which  is  a  life-size 
bronze  statue.  It  also  contains  a  marble  Greek 
sarcophagus. 

The  Campanile,  or  bell  tower,  of  the  Cathedral, 
was  commenced  in  1334.  This  tower  is  275  feet 
high  and  45  feet  square.'  It  is  entirely  veneered 
with  black,  red  and  white  marble,  and  has  five 
stories.  On  the  basement  story  are  two  ranges  of 
tablets  in  relief ;  one  representing  the  creation  of 
Adam  and  Eve,  the  other  the  seven  virtues,  the 
planets  and  the  seven  sacraments.  Take  it  all  in 
all,  Florence  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  inter- 
esting cities  in  Italy,  and  generally  one  of  the  first 
visited  by  travelers. 

From  Florence  to  Rome  is  a  seven-hours  railway 
ride  over  a  mountainous  and  barren  region,  desti- 
tute of  timber,  and  unfit  for  cultivation.  On  this 
route  we  passed  many  ancient  and  picturesque 
ruins.  The  first  thing  I  did  on  arriving  at  the 
Eternal  City  was  to  select  my  guide  ;  and  here  let 
me  remark  that,  although  in  Rome,  I  did  not 
always  do  as  the  Romans  did. 

The  first  object  of  interest  which  I  visited  was 
the  Cathedral  of  St.  Peter,  the  mother  of  all 
churches,  at  least  so  far  as  size  and  grandeur  are 
concerned.  The  interior  of  this  church  is  602 
English  feet  long,  and  445   feet  wide  at  the  tran- 


166  Around  the  World. 

sept.  The  circumference  of  the  circle  of  pillars 
which  support  the  dome  is  232  feet,  and  the  cupola 
is  193  feet  in  diameter.  From  the  pavement  to  the 
top  of  the  cross  the  dome  is  430  feet  in  height.  It 
is  encircled  and  strengthened  by  six  bands  of  iron  ; 
it  is  surmounted  by  a  balustrade  six  feet  high,  and 
adorned  with  statues  representing  Christ  and  the 
Apostles.  The  interior  is  magnificent ;  it  is  orna- 
mented in  bronze  and  mosaic.  Near  the  altar  are 
several  gilded  portraits  of  the  ancient  popes,  which 
have  long  Latin  inscriptions  on  them.  On  the  floor 
of  the  church  are  figures  marked  giving  the  dimen- 
sions of  the  large  churches  in  the  world,  these  prov- 
ing conclusively  that  St.  Peter's  is  the  largest  of 
them  all.  The  building  of  this  church,  from  its 
foundation,  in  1450,  until  its  dedication,  in  1625, 
occupied  a  period  of  1 75  years.  Visitors  congre- 
gate here  from  every  part  of  the  world. 

Next  to  St.  Peter's,  one  of  the  most  imposing 
and  interesting  structures  is  the  Vatican,  or  papal 
palace.  This  palace,  which  is  one  of  the  most 
magnificent  in  the  world,  is  rather  a  collection  of 
separate  buildings  than  one  regular  edifice.  It 
occupies  a  space  of  1,151  by  767  feet,  and  has  over 
200  staircases,  20  courts,  and  4,422  rooms.  Many 
of  the  rooms  are  decorated  with  frescoes  by  famous 
artists.  It  contains  a  gallery  of  statues,  a  museum 
filled  with  the  relics  of  the  ancient  inhabitants  of 
Italy,  and  a  picture  gallery  which  has  more  treas- 


(167) 


168  Around  the  World. 

ures  than  any  other  gallery  in  the  world,  although 
the  whole  catalogue  only  numbers  fifty  paintings. 

The  Capitol,  on  the  famous  Capitoline  Hill,  is 
chiefly  remarkable  for  the  collection  of  art  it  con- 
tains within  its  walls.  The  two  Capitoline  museums 
are  very  rich  in  classical  sculpture,  bronzes,  coins 
and  pottery.  Prominent  among  the  many  statues 
is  a  colossal  figure  of  Mar-forises,  the  river  god. 
There  are  many  squares  in  the  city  consisting  of 
small  paved  areas,  generally  adorned  with  fountains 
and  monuments.  The  fountains  are  numerous, 
and  form  one  of  the  most  attractive  features  of  the 
city.  They  are  plentifully  supplied  with  water  by 
three  aqueducts  which  yet  remain  in  operation  of 
the  many  that  poured  their  streams  into  the  ancient 
city. 

The  Piazza  Colonna  is  one  of  the  finest  open 
spaces  in  the  city  ;  it  is  ornamented  with  a  gilt 
bronze  statue  of  St.  Paul,  which  is  135  feet  high. 
At  the  Piazza  di  Pietra  can  be  seen  the  ruins  of 
the  Temple  of  Neptune.  The  Church  of  the 
Twelve  Apostles  is  also  called  the  Church  of  Con- 
stantine,  after  the  name  of  its  founder.  Under 
the  portico  can  be  seen  the  fine  monument  of 
Vopato,  and  the  figure  of  an  eagle  brought  from 
the  Trojan  Forum.  The  Roman  Forum,  Campus 
Vaccino,  was  formerly  used  as  a  market  place,  and 
contains  many  ancient  and  interesting  ruins. 

On    the   Palatine    Hill   are   the   remains  of  the 


"  The  City  of  the  Seven  Hills!'1  169 

palace  of  that  name.  The  gardens  are  open  to 
the  public  on  Sundays  and  Thursdays.  They  are 
generally  thronged  with  visitors.  The  ancient  city 
of  Rome  was  originally  founded  on  this  hill,  and, 
as  the  city  grew,  it  spread  over  several  of  the 
adjoining  eminences,  and  finally  became  known  as 
"the  City  of  the  Seven  Hills."  The  Lateran,  a 
museum  of  classical  sculpture  and  early  Christian 
remains,  was,  until  the  fourteenth  century,  the  resi- 
dence of  the  pope.  In  this  museum  were  fine 
statues  of  Hercules  and  Neptune.  The  Pyramid 
of  Cestius  is  a  grand  sepulchral  monument,  built 
of  concrete,  and  faced  with  white  marble.  It  is 
1 1 8  feet  high,  and  contains  a  small  chamber  deco- 
rated with  stucco.  On  the  marble  facing  is  an 
inscription  in  large  letters  stating  that  this  is  the 
tomb  of  C.  Cestius. 

The  Circo  Agonalis  is  one  of  the  largest  open 
spaces  in  Rome,  and  was  probably  formerly  used 
as  a  circus.  It  is  ornamented  with  fountains,  and 
has  other  interesting  features  to  attract  visitors. 
Palace  Spadra  contains  a  collection  of  antiquities, 
pictures' and  statuary,  among  the  latter  a  statue  of 
Aristotle  in  a  sitting  posture.  The  Collosseum  is 
one  of  the  most  interestincr  of  the  Roman  ruins. 
It  has  been  stripped  of  its  exterior  ornamentation, 
the  interior  is  entirely  dismantled,  and  much  of  the 
outer  wall  has  been  carried  off  for  the  sake  of  the 
material  ;  but  it  still  remains  a  most  imposing  and 
sublime  ruin. 


lYO  Around  the  World. 

The  city  is  divided  into  ancient  and  modern 
Rome.  Ancient  Rome  is  a  city  of  traditions,  and 
full  of  historical  interest.  At  one  time  it  covered 
a  circuit  of  thirteen  miles,  and  embraced  a  popula- 
tion of  nearly  2,000,000.  Corso  street  was  the 
principal  street  in  old  Rome.  Extensive  ruins, 
magnificent  palaces  and  public  buildings  testify  to 
her  former  greatness.  Ancient  Rome  was  built 
on  a  series  of  low-lying  hills,  while  the  modern 
city  is  built  chiefly  on  still  higher  land.  The 
streets  are  clean,  well  paved  and  well  lighted. 
The  principal  business  streets  are  full  of  life  and 
activity  ;  but  for  hundreds  of  years  to  come  the 
old  city  will  prove  the  attraction  to  travelers  and 
tourists. 

In  no  other  city  did  I  see  a  wider  constrast  be- 
tween wealth  and  poverty ;  one  portion  of  the 
population  living  in  opulence  and  splendor,  the 
other  in  raes  and  filth.  The  streets  are  filled  with 
beggars,  and  venders  of  small  wares,  all  struggling 
with  the  problem  of  existence,  presenting  a  novel 
scene  of  confusion  to  the  stranger. 

It  would  require  volumes,  and  years  of  research, 
to  do  justice  to  this  old  city  ;  and,  as  my  time  was 
limited  to  the  space  of  a  few  days,  I  am  unable  to 
give  a  detailed  account  of  much  that  would  prove 
of  interest. 

The  following  was  written  to  the  author's  home 
paper,  the  Modesto  Herald : 


Correspondence.  171 


LETTER  FROM  ROME. 

Special  Correspondence  of  the  Herald. 

Rome,  Italy,  Oct.   15,  1885. 

Editors  Herald  : — I  must  send  you  a  few  more  lines  about  my 
rambles  in  the  Eastern  hemisphere.  Since  I  wrote  you  from  Switzerland  I 
have  been  interestingly  sight  seeing  on  the  Continent  of  Europe,  and  have 
traveled  thousands  of  miles  on  land  and  water  as  fast  as  express  trains  and 
steamers  could  carry  me.  I  have  crossed  the  Baltic  and  the  North  Seas. 
In  Norway  I  remained  the  longest  and  traveled  the  most.  I  find  that  country 
consists  chiefly  of  fjelds,  fosses  and  fjords.  From  Christiania  to  Doverfjeld 
the  picturesque  scenery  is  extremely  grand,  and  presents  to  the  eye  a  pano- 
rama. I  also  traveled  extensively  in  Sweden  and  Denmark.  These  countries 
are  densely  populated;  but  I  found  no  great  attractions  for  tourists  to  feed 
their  eyes  upon.  I  have  been  over  the  length  of  the  whole  German  Empire, 
by  two  different  routes,  and  have  been  in  all  the  leading  cities,  including 
Berlin,  Bremen,  Stuttgart,  Hamburg,  Frankfort-on-the-Main,  Carlsruhe, 
Hanover,  and  many  others,  in  my  journey.  Frankfort,  a  city  of  155,000 
inhabitants,  is  beautifully  located  in  the  heart  of  a  level  valley.  It  has 
wide,  well-paved  sidewalks,  stately  mansions,  richly  furnished  stores,  and 
the  inhabitants  equal  those  of  any  city  of  its  size  in  Europe  for  dress,  style 
and  elegance. 

Germany,  south  of  Frankfort,  is  well  improved,  and  the  soil  of  the  most 
productive  kind,  as  was  shown  by  the  valley  being  dressed  in  the  finest  pro- 
ductions for  many  miles  on  the  River  Rhine.  In  all  German)',  there  is  a 
fine,  level  farming  country,  but  destitute  of  mountain  scenery.  Next  comes 
Basel,  the  finest  city  in  Switzerland,  which  country  I  have  also  been  over 
in  two  different  directions.  As  I  have  just  recommended  Germany  for  its 
beautiful  level  valleys,  I  will  reverse  my  praise  to  Switzerland  for  its  attractive 
mountain  scenery.  While  Germany  has  few  scenes,  Switzerland  has  enough 
to  make  up  for  the  whole  of  Europe,  including  her  Alps  and  glaciers.  She 
has  many  interesting  attractions  to  sight-seers.  A  strange  feature  is  that  this 
elevated  country  is  not  of  a  rocky  character,  except  on  the  Alps.  Small 
farms  may  be  seen  almost  to  the  hill-tops,  dressed  in  green,  produce  of  all 
kinds,  and  fruits  and  vines. 

Oxen  and  women  are  often  seen  working  together  in  the  fields  Some- 
times see  a  mixed  team  of  horses  and  oxen,  but  seldom  more  than  three  in 
number. 

This  is  the  second  time  I  have  crossed  the  Alps.  The  first  was  to  Aus- 
tria, and  this  time  to  Italy.  In  coming  to  Italy  I  passed  through  the  St. 
Gothard  Tunnel,  the  longest  tunnel  in  the  world.     As  the  railroads  are  built 


172  Around  the  World. 

much  on  elevated  ground,  it  gives  the  tourist  a  fine  view  of  the  many  scenes, 
from  the  pyramidic  peaks  to  the  glittering  streams  at  the  foot  of  the  great 
A'ps,  and  rugged  chain  of  mountains.  As  a  consequence  the  railroad  tunnels 
are  many,  and  difficult  of  construction.  Some  of  them  are  made  in  the  shape 
of  loops,  and  in  corkscrew  style. 

After  leaving  the  Alps,  the  first  city  I  sighted  in  Italy  of  importance  was 
Milan.  It  has  a  population  of  300,000,  and  is  a  great  terminal  point  for 
railroads.  Here  I  found  many  points  of  interest,  but  did  not  see  the  place  of 
cremation.  From  Milan  I  resumed  my  journey  to  Venice.  The  country  on 
this  route  is  mainly  attractive  for  its  moist,  rich  soil,  and  thickly  planted  in 
fine  rows  of  trees  and  grape-vines.  I  begin  to  think  I  have  struck  the  Para- 
dise of  Europe.  The  city  of  Venice  I  find  located  in  the  Adriatic  Bay, 
several  miles  from  the  mainland,  built  on  small  islands,  and  it  is  said  to  be 
one  of  the  oldest  cities  in  the  world.  It  has  144,000  inhabitants.  The  main 
street  in  Venice  is  the  Grand  Canal,  where  little  steamers  take  passengers  and 
goods  and  land  them  at  their  doors.  Hundreds  of  other  small  row  boats,  or 
gondolas,  are  used  in  smaller  streets  and  alleys  to  convey  people  and  their  lug- 
gage to  any  part  of  the  city.  No  horses  or  vehicles  are  seen  or  needed  here. 
The  chief  attraction  here  is  the  fine  glass  works  and  the  St.  Marquis  Square. 
It  is  said  to  be  the  finest  square  in  the  world.  Next  is  the  Bell  Tower,  ninety- 
eight  metres  high  ;  the  Royal  Palace,  the  Doge's  Palace,  the  Grand  Museum, 
the  Hotel  de  Italy  and  the  Grand  Opera.  These  are  some  of  the  leading 
objects  in  Venice.  The  city  is  full  of  porters  and  runners  lying  in  wait  to 
squeeze  the  loose  change'from  the  traveler. 

From  Venice  to  Florence  was  ten  hours'  run  on  the  cars.  A  large  por- 
tion of  this  was  over  a  broken  and  mountainous  country.  We  went  through 
twenty-four  tunnels  before  we  arrived  in  Florence.  This  city  has  160,000 
inhabitants.  I  was  much  impressed  with  the  beautiful  location  and  appear- 
ance of  Florence;  and,  after  I  had  my  Italian  guide  along  to  point  out  and 
show  me  all  the  fine  arts  and  leading  points  of  interest  over  the  city,  I  con- 
cluded I  had  at  last  found  a  good  second  to  Vienna,  in  Austria. 

From  Florence  to  Rome  was  seven  hours'  run  over  the  roughest  country 
I  have  found  in  Italy.  At  last  in  Rome,  and  I  must  do  as  the  Romans  do. 
Among  the  grandest  attractions  in  Rome  are  St.  Peters,  and  the  Pope's  Palace, 
or  the  Vatican.  The  many  departments  and  galleries  of  fine  arts,  painted 
and  ornamented  in  gilt  and  bronze,  are  the  grandest  sights  I  ever  saw. 
Nothing  in  London  or  Paris  can  compare  with  this  imposing  edifice,  nor  do 
I  expect  to  see  in  my  whole  trip  around  the  globe  the  grandeur  I  see  here  in 
Rome.  St.  Peter's  Church  is  the  largest  in  the  world,  ornamented  also  in 
gilt  and  bronze.  St.  Paul's  is  the  next  largest  church.  Rome  has  five  hun- 
dred   church   buildings,  and   it  is  full  of  statues,  sculptures,  fountains  and 


Naples  and  its  Surroundings.  173 

museums.  I  have  paid  my  guide  five  francs  per  day  to  take  me  all  over  the 
city,  and  show  me  the  ruins  and  points  of  interest,  until  I  am  satisfied  that 
this  is  Rome,  Rome.  So  soon  as  I  see  the  Pope,  the  monks,  the  marquises 
and  counts,  I  will  resume  my  journey  to  Naples;  and,  when  I  have  done  that 
city  justice,  I  will  take  a  steamer  for  Constantinople,  thence  to  Egypt,  and 
extend  my  travels  around  the  world.  When  I  get  to  the  land  of  the  Pharaohs, 
you  may  hear  from  me  again.  Osmun  Johnson. 

Naples  is  situated  on  the  northern  shore  of  the 
Bay  of  Naples,  and  fanned  by  the  spicy  breezes  of 
the  Mediterranean.  It  is  169  miles  distant  from 
Rome  by  rail,  and  is  the  largest  and  most  populous 
city  in  Italy,  having  about  600,000  inhabitants.  It 
disputes  with  Constantinople  the  claim  of  enjoying 
the  most  beautiful  site  in  Europe.  The  Italians 
say:  "See  Naples  and  die."  While  I  am  not  quite 
ready  to  shuffle  off  this  mortal  coil,  I  am  willing  to 
admit,  that  probably  no  other  place  in  the  world 
combines  so  much  natural  beauty  with  so  many 
objects  of  interest  to  the  lover  of  antiquity. 

Naples  is  built  at  the  base  and  on  the  slope  of  a 
range  of  hills  which  are  divided  by  a  ridge  into  two 
natural  crescents.  The  western  crescent  is  a  narrow 
strip  of  land  between  Yomero  Hill  and  the  sea.  It 
is  the  fash'onable  quarter,  and  is  most  affected  by 
foreign  residents  and  visitors.  The  eastern  crescent 
is  by  far  the  largest  as  well  as  the  oldest  part  of 
Naples,  and  includes  the  ports,  the  arsenal  and  the 
principal  churches.  A  magnificent  view,  both  of 
land  and  water,  can  be  had  from  the  hills,  which 
form  a  background  to  the  city ;  though  the  city  it- 


(174) 


/ 


Vesuvius —  The  Blue  Grotto.  175 

self  is  seen  to  the  best  advantage  from  the  water, 
and  the  approach  from  the  sea  is  famous  for  its 
loveliness. 

Naples  has  most  interesting  surroundings.  In 
the  near  distance  is  Mount  Vesuvius,  which  pre- 
sents a  scene  of  matchless  grandeur.  It  has  been 
in  action  at  intervals  for  1,900  years.  Its  first 
eruption  is  said  to  have  occurred  in  79  A.  D.,  at 
which  time  Pompeii  was  destroyed.  Another  place 
of  interest  is  the  famous  Blue  Grotto,  on  the  Island 
of  Capri.  The  scenery  throughout  this  island  is 
of  unusual  beauty,  and  it  is  said  to  have  been  a 
favorite  resort  of  Cicero,  Nero,  and  other  historical 
characters.  It  is  chiefly  celebrated,  however,  as 
the  retreat  of  Tiberius,  the  last  ten  years  of  his 
reign  having  been  spent  here. 

Principal  among  the  buildings  of  especial  inter- 
est is  the  National  Museum,  better  known  as  the 
Muser  Borbonico.  This  contains  a  lar^e  collection 
of  household  utensils,  statues,  vases,  gold,  silver 
and  bronze  coins,  made  79  years  after  the  birth  of 
Christ;  in  fact,  everything  that  would  bear  removal 
from  Herculaneum  and  Pompeii.  It  also  contains 
a  number  of  celebrated  statues,  among  which  are 
those  of  Alexander  the  Great,  Tiberius  and  Her- 
cules. This  museum  is  a  treasure  house  of  early 
Italian  and  Roman  antiquities.  Note-book  in  hand, 
I  followed  my  guide  from  room  to  room,  he  pointing 
out  and  explaining  the  various  objects  of  interest. 


176  Around  the  World. 

The  Egyptian  room  contains  a  collection  of 
Egyptian  furniture,  cooking  utensils  and  agricul- 
tural implements,  the  latter  of  the  rudest  construc- 
tion. In  viewing  this  ancient  collection,  one  could 
not  but  remark  on  the  wide  difference  which  exists 
between  then  and  now.  In  this  room  are  also  many- 
fine  pictures,  including  the  Farnese  Bull.  This 
picture  is  an  exemplification  of  a  Greek  legend, 
which  runs  as  follows  :  Dirce,  the  wife  of  Lycus, 
King  of  Thebes,  sorely  persecuted  Antiope,  who 
finally  escaped  to  Mount  Cithaeron,  where  her  twin 
sons,  who  were  unconscious  of  their  parentage, 
were  being  brought  up  by  herdsmen.  Dirce,  who 
had  come  to  the  hill  for  a  Dionysiac  ceremony, 
proposed  that  the  sons,  Amphion  and  Zethus,  should 
tie  Antiope  to  the  horns  of  a  wild  bull,  to  be 
dragged  to  death.  They  were  about  to  do  so,  when 
a  herdsman  announced  their  relationship,  and  they 
then  tied  Dirce  to  the  bull  instead. 

The  third  and  fourth  rooms  are  chiefly  filled  with 
large  equestrian  statues.  Principal  among  them 
are  those  of  Julius  Caesar,  Tiberius  and  Ves- 
pasius,  also  a  fine  statue  of  Nero  after  a  victorious 
battle,  and  the  marble  statue  of  Balbi.  A  large 
room  in  the  upper  story  is  filled  with  small  bronzes. 
This  collection  contains  a  large  variety  of  articles 
suggestive  of  the  domestic  life  of  Pompeii  and 
Herculaneum.  The  mosaic  pavements  in  this  sec- 
tion are  of  peculiar  interest. 


In  the  National  Museum.  177 

The  collection  of  sepulchral  vases  comprises 
upward  of  three  thousand  specimens.  The  gallery 
of  painting  comprises  a  collection  of  masterpieces 
by  the  world's  most  renowned  artists.  In  the  hall 
of  Flora  is  the  Flora  Farnese,  one  of  the  master- 
pieces of  ancient  sculpture.  The  collection  of 
ancient  glass  contains  nearly  every  article  into 
which  glass  can  be  worked.  The  library  is  very 
large,  and  contains  many  thousand  books  in  both 
the  ancient  and  modern  languages,  as  well  as  many 
ancient  and  valuable  manuscripts.  I  have  neither 
time  nor  space  for  a  detailed  description  of  the 
many  wonderful  and  valuable  objects  of  interest  in 
this  museum,  but  have  given  a  brief  description  of 
those  which  most  attracted  my  attention. 

Near  the  museum  is  an  imposing  memorial  of 
the  revolutions  of  1799,  1820,  1848  and  i860,  con- 
sisting of  four  colossal  lions  in  bronze,  and  sur- 
rounded by  a  high  iron  fence.  A  few  steps  from 
here  brought  me  to  a  public  park,  which  adjoins 
the  sea.  It  is  much  frequented  by  tourists  and 
sight-seers.  One  of  the  main  features  of  this  park 
is  a  lofty  statue  in  the  shape  of  a  dome,  which  is 
ornamented  with  small  sculptures  from  the  base  to 
the  top.  In  many  directions  statues,  fountains  and 
other  interesting  curiosities  can  be  seen.  Here 
also  is  the  largest  church  in  the  city. 

The  streets  are  generally  well  paved  with  square 
blocks  of   lava ;    sidewalks,  where   they  exist,  are 


178  Around  the  World. 

nearly  always  narrow ;  the  houses  are  more  re- 
markable for  their  size  and  solidity  than  for  their 
elegance,  and  no  other  city  in  the  world  possesses 
such  a  mass  of  houses  of  the  same  description  and 
so  densely  crowded  with  all  sorts  of  people. 

The  business  portion  of  the  city  presents  a 
most  animated  and  interesting  appearance  to  the 
sight-seer.  Owing  to  the  balmy  climate,  and  the 
fondness  of  the  people  for  out-door  life,  a  great 
deal  of  the  trade  is  carried  on  on  the  sidewalks, 
both  in  selling  and  manufacturing  goods.  One  of 
the  queer  features  of  this  custom  is  that  you  fre- 
quently see  hundreds  of  little  boys,  sitting  or 
standing  on  the  walks,  and  industriously  engaged 
in  learning  a  trade.  An  expert  mechanic  can  be 
had  for  three  francs  a  day.  A  laborer  receives 
twenty  pennies,  or  forty  cents.  The  streets  are 
crowded  with  venders  of  worthless  wares,  who  sing 
out  at  the  top  of  their  voices  the  articles  they  have 
for  sale.  The  beggars  and  guides  help  to  swell 
the  number,  surrounding  a  stranger  like  a  swarm  of 
bees,  and  are  a  source  of  great  annoyance.  One 
is  forced  to  the  conclusion  that  Naples,  in  addition 
to  being  one  of  the  most  interesting  cities  in  Italy, 
is  also  one  of  the  most  annoying  ones. 

A  great  deal  of  poverty  exists  among  the  lower 
classes;  but  the  people  in  general  seem  to  be 
happy  and  contented.  They  consume  little,  and 
that  little  is  cheap.     For  three  cents  a  day  a  man 


A  Brilliant  Landscape.  179 

can  get  his  fill  of  macaroni,  and  for  three  cents 
more  he  can  have  very  good  fish  or  vegetables 
fried  in  oil.  These  can  be  procured  at  any  of  the 
innumerable  stands  of  itinerant  cooks  about  the 
streets. 

The  upper  classes  are  refined  in  appearance,  gen- 
erally well  educated  ;  as  a  rule,  tastefully  dressed  ; 
and  the  men  are  better  looking  than  the  women. 
The  scholars  and  men  of  science  in  Naples  are 
celebrated  throughout  Italy  for  their  devotion  to 
their  respective  branches  of  study. 

At  the  Bristol  Hotel,  which  is  situated  on  an 
overhanging  bluff,  we  had  a  splendid  view  of  the 
bus)'  life  on  the  bay  and  in  the  brilliant  city.  We 
could  also  see  the  reflection  of  the  Blue  Grotto, 
on  the  Isle  of  Capri,  twenty  miles  distant ;  and 
Mount  Vesuvius,  which  has  been  in  action  for 
nearly  two  thousand  years.  In  the  distance  could 
be  seen  the  Mediterranean,  the  harbor  teeming 
with  vessels  carrying  the  Hags  of  all  nations. 
Naples  is  justly  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  inter- 
esting cities  of  the  world,  on  account  of  its  classical 
associations,  its  numerous  palaces  and  public  build- 
ings, the  picturesque  animation  of  its  principal 
streets,  and  the  beauty  of  its  situation.  I  was  for- 
tunate in  securing  the  services  of  a  eood  enide 
who  had  all  the  points  of  interest  at  his  finger- 
ends.  He  was  sure  not  to  lose  me,  as  I  paid  him 
the  enormous  salary  of  five  francs  per  day. 


180 


Around  the  World. 


At  Naples  I  had  an  opportunity  of  joining  an 
excursion  party  to  Gibraltar,  and  visiting  the  exten- 
sive fortifications  that  the  world  has  heard  so  much 
about.  They  are  certainly  formidable.  Gibraltar 
is  situated  on  the  European  side  of  the  narrow 
strait  which  forms  the  entrance  to  the  Mediter- 
ranean. The  rock,  as  this  promontory  is  generally 
called,  rises  abruptly  from  the  low,  sandy  isthmus 


The  Town  and  Rock  of  Gibraltar. 

which  connects  it  with  the  mainland,  to  a  height  of 
1,200  feet.  The  eastern  side  needs  no  defense 
beyond  its  own  precipitous  cliffs,  and  the  northern 
and  southern  sides  are  so  steep  as  to  be  almost 
wholly  inaccessible.  The  western  side  slopes  down 
toward  the  water,  and  here  are  situated  the  town 
and  the  principal  fortifications. 

Inside  the  fortifications  are  two  ranges  of  gal- 


Gibraltar  —  Malta.  18 1 

leries  cut  out  of  solid  rock,  and  portholes  are  cut 
at  intervals  of  twelve  yards,  and  are  so  contrived 
that  gunners  are  safe  from  any  possible  assailant. 
This  fortress  is  almost  impregnable  ;  any  fleet  of 
modern  artillery  attempting  to  take  it  would  find  it 
a  hard  nut  to  crack. 

The  town  of  Gibraltar  is  chiefly  inhabited  by 
Spaniards.  At  the  time  of  my  visit  they  were 
suffering  with  cholera.  The  whole  population, 
whether  civil  or  military,  is  subject  to  certain  strin- 
gent rules.  For  even  a  day's  sojourn  a  stranger 
must  obtain  a  pass  from  the  town  mayor;  and,  if 
he  wishes  to  remain  longer,  a  consul  or  house- 
holder must  become  security  for  his  good  behavior. 
Licenses  of  residence  are  granted  only  for  short 
periods  ;  but  they  may  be  renewed  if  necessary. 
Gibraltar  is  a  mean-looking  town,  with  narrow 
streets  and  lanes.  The  houses  are  a  mixture  of 
English  and  Spanish  style.  The  people  may  at 
any  moment  be  called  upon  to  give  up  their  houses 
and  grounds  to  the  military  authorities  ;  so  they 
are  naturally  deterred  from  spending  much  money 
on  their  dwellings  or  buildings. 

On  this  excursion  we  also  visited  Malta,  one  of 
Great  Britain's  Mediterranean  possessions.  This 
island  is  seventeen  miles  long,  and  nine  miles 
broad  at  its  widest  part.  We  landed  at  Valetta, 
the  capital,  which  is  situated  on  a  splendid  natural 
harbor.       No    sooner    had    the    steamer    dropped 


182  Around  the  World. 

anchor  than  we  were  surrounded  by  a  swarm  of 
small  row-boats,  whose  dusky  boatmen  were  scram- 
bling and  yelling, each  endeavoring  to  get  passengers 
to  convey  to  the  shore,  a  distance  of  about  ioo 
yards.  For  this  service  they  will  demand  a  shilling, 
but,  after  some  hard  bargaining  and  much  bicker- 
ing, they  will  take  threepence,  or  six  cents,  instead 
of  fifty.  On  landing,  we  were  again  surrounded  by 
natives  of  various  professions,  from  a  cabman  to  a 
beggar.  However,  after  selecting  a  guide,  we  pro- 
ceeded to  view  the  town. 

The  first  thino-  that  I  observed  was  that  the 
narrow  streets  were  thronged  with  beggars.  This 
annoyance  extended  to  all  the  Oriental  towns. 
Among  the  places  of  interest  we  visited  were  the 
Governor's  palace,  a  comfortable  structure,  con- 
taining many  portraits  and  paintings  of  former 
knights  of  the  island  ;  and  the  Cathedral  of  St. 
John,  famous  for  its  rich  inlaid  marbles,  its  Brussels 
tapestries  and  its  painted  roof,  and  containing  some 
fine  paintings  and  sculpture.  We  next  visited  an- 
other church,  where  we  were  shown  the  dried 
remains  of  a  number  of  priests,  some  of  whom  had 
died  as  recently  as  1870.  It  was  customary,  when 
a  priest  died,  to  put  his  body  in  a  slow  oven,  and 
there  let  it  remain  for  one  year,  when  it  was  taken 
out  and  exhibited  in  the  collection.  They  are  now 
prohibited  from  continuing  this  custom. 

We    inspected    the     fortifications,    which    seem 


Return  to  Naples.  183 

almost  impregnable,  and  visited  the  Garden  of  San 
Antonio,  where  we  saw  a  large  quantity  of  tropical 
fruits,  which  were  growing  in  profusion.  Another 
point  of  interest  is  the  catacombs,  which  are  hewn 
out  of  the  solid  rock,  and  extend  200  yards  under 
the  ground.  The  guide  pointed  out  a  chamber 
said  to  have  been  occupied  by  the  Apostle  Paul. 
Here  also  is  an  underground  passage  extending  for 
a  distance  of  seven  and  a  half  miles. 

No  river,  brook  or  lake  exists  on  this  island,  and 
it  is  destitute  of  forests.  Malta  is  excessively  hot 
in  summer,  and  the  sirocco  prevails,  especially  in 
autumn.  The  climate,  however,  is  not  considered 
less  salubrious  than  that  of  other  parts  of  Southern 
Europe,  and  in  the  winter  it  is  delightful.  The 
atmosphere  is  so  clear  that  at  all  times  of  the  year 
the  summitrof  Mt.  yEtna,  130  miles  distant,  may  be 
seen  during  the  rising  and  the  setting  of  the  sun. 

On  leaving  Malta,  we  returned  to  Naples,  where 
I  took  the  cars  for  Brindisi,  a  thirteen-hours  railway 
ride  from  Naples.  Of  course,  I  was  locked  up  in  a 
compartment,  in  English  style,  which  to  my  mind 
is  an  uncomfortable  one,  but  which  seems  to  pre- 
vail on  both  sides  of  the  Alps.  This  route  runs 
principally  over  an  agricultural  country  occupied 
by  the  industrious  peasant,  who  seems  to  prefer 
work  to  rest,  although  poorly  compensated  for  his 
labor.  In  every  direction,  in  field  and  garden,  both 
sexes  could  be  seen  toiling  in  the  hot  sun. 


184  Around  the  World. 

The  most  important  cities  on  this  line  are  Foggia 
and  Bari.  Foggia  is  situated  near  the  centre  of 
the  great  plain  of  Apulia,  122  miles  by  rail  from 
Naples  ;  is  well  built,  and  the  main  streets  are  wide 
and  clean.  It  has  become  a  great  railway  junction, 
just  as  it  was  formerly  the  meeting  place  of  the 
principal  roads  of  the  country.  It  is  a  staple  mar- 
ket for  corn  and  wool,  and  the  corn  magazines  are 
very  extensive,  consisting  of  vaults  lined  with  ma- 
sonry, built  under  the  principal  streets  and  squares. 

Bari  is  situated  on  the  Adriatic  Sea,  and  is  quite 
an  important  commercial  town.  The  inhabitants 
are  skillful  seamen,  and  carry  on  a  large  traffic,  in 
their  own  ships,  with  different  parts  of  the  Adriatic. 
The  older  part  of  the  town  is  gloomy  and  irregular  ; 
the  new  portion  has  wide  streets  and  handsome 
buildings. 

Brindisi  is  situated  at  the  head  of  a  bay  of  the 
Adriatic.  The  streets  are  narrow  and  crooked,  and 
the  town  presents  a  somewhat  dilapidated  appear- 
ance. Since  the  restoration  of  its  maritime  im- 
portance, which  is  principally  due  to  the  fact  that 
it  forms  the  great  transit  station  in  the  overland 
route  to  Asia  by  the  way  of  the  Mount  Cenis  Rail- 
way and  the  Suez  Canal,  some  improvement  has 
taken  place.  It  has  some  ancient  ruins  of  consid- 
erable interest,  principal  among  which  is  a  remark- 
able column  supposed  by  some  to  have  marked  the 
termination  of  the  Appian  Way. 


The  Mediterranean  Voyage.  185 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  MEDITERRANEAN,  EGYPT,  RED  SEA  AND 
ARABIAN  SEA. 

On  the  30th  of  October  I  embarked  on  the 
spacious  steamer  Gwalior,  for  Egypt,  via  Greece. 
The  Mediterranean  was  as  calm  as  a  mill-pond,  and 
the  voyage  was  much  more  enjoyable  than  the  one 
over  the  stormy  Atlantic,  North  Sea  or  Baltic. 
On  this  ship  were  tourists  from  every  quarter  of 
the  globe,  and  all  ranks  were  represented,  from  an 
English  nobleman  to  a  California  farmer.  It 
seemed  singular  to  me,  that,  out  of  such  a  large 
number  of  tourists,  I  was  the  only  one  who  repre- 
sented the  "  Golden  State ;"  and,  more  singular 
still,  the  only  one  from  America  ;  and,  strangest  of 
all,  the  only  one  who  expected  to  make  an  entire 
circuit  of  the  globe. 

This  short  voyage  over  the  Mediterranean  was  a 
very  pleasant  one,  as  I  had  many  agreeable  com- 
panions, and  had  several  most  interesting  conver- 
sations with  some  of  these  aristocratic  passengers 
on  board  the  ship.  I  was  the  only  one  who  could 
answer  the  hundreds  of  questions  they  found  to  ask 
in  regard  to  the  resources  and  wonders  of  Califor- 


186  Around  the  World. 

nia.  It  is  strange  how  well  a  man  will  remember 
all  the  good  points  of  his  home  country  when  he 
comes  to  travel  abroad,  and  it  did  not  take  me  long 
to  convey  the  information  that  California  was 
gifted  with  all  the  blessings  that  Nature  could 
bestow. 

I  was  not  far  behind  my  European  companions 
in  asking  questions,  for  their  country  and  their  cus- 
toms were  as  new  and  strange  to  me  as  were  mine 
to  them,  and  I  derived  much  information  from  my 
new-found  friends.  Every  vocation  has  its  own 
range  of  thought  and  talent,  and  one  can  hardly 
fail  to  be  interested  and  improved  by  an  inter- 
change of  ideas.  In  pursuing  the  ordinary  routine 
of  daily  life,  we  ofttimes  let  our  thoughts  and  ideas 
follow  one  particular  channel,  and  we  need  to  get 
out  among  our  fellow-men  and  widen  our  expe- 
rience. We  shall  then  find  that  much  that  had 
seemed  of  importance  to  us  will  grow  small  and 
insignificant. 

The  vessel  on  which  I  was  now  traveling,  and 
the  Kiserhind,  on  which  I  made  the  last  and 
longest  portion  of  my  journey,  belonged  to  the 
Peninsular  and  Oriental  Steamship  Company, 
which  goes  by  the  name  of  the  P.  and  O.  Line. 
This  line  runs  about  sixty  large  vessels,  and  is  said 
to  be  one  of  the  safest  and  most  reliable  lines 
whose  vessels  traverse  the  Eastern  waters.  Acci- 
dents are  almost  unknown  on  this  line,  even  on  the 


Dining-  at  Sea.  187 


"a 


Bay  of  Biscay  and  the  Red  Sea,  where  shipwrecks 
are  of  common  occurrence. 

The  traveler  will  have  no  trouble  in  keeping  his 
body  together,  as  he  is  surrounded  by  luxury  and 
plenty.  It  is  the  rule  on  these  steamers  to  have 
five  meals  a  day.  Coffee  and  sandwiches  are 
served  at  6  a.  m.,  breakfast  at  8  a.  m.,  and  lunch  at 
i  p.  m.  This  lunch  consists  of  a  long  list  of  dainty 
dishes  which  will  compare  favorably  with  the 
viands  served  on  the  Mississippi  steamers,  which 
once  had  the  reputation  of  having  the  best  tables 
of  any  boats  in  the  world.  Dinner  is  served  at 
seven  o'clock,  and  this  is,  of  course,  the  principal 
meal.  We  were  often  served  with  a  dozen  differ- 
ent kinds  of  meat,  including  fowl  and  fish.  The 
evenings  were  spent  in  promenading  on  the  deck, 
or  in  various  amusements  and  pastimes,  and  at 
9  p.  M.  sandwiches  are  again  served. 

If  the  traveler  desires  any  beverage  to  keep  him 
in  a  good  humor,  he  will  find  the  bar  supplied  with 
liquors  and  wines  of  all  kinds,  including  stout  and 
Dublin  porter  at  sixpence  a  bottle.  This  bar  was 
certainly  well  patronized,  if  one  could  judge  from 
the  large  stock  of  empty  bottles  which  rapidly 
accumulated  from  day  to  day.  The  cabins,  saloons 
and  state-rooms  on  this  steamer  were  spacious  and 
comfortable,  which  is  more  than  can  be  said  of 
many  of  the  steamers  which  sail  on  Eastern  seas. 
Two  of  the  worst  habits  in  which  sea-going  people 


188  Around  the  World. 

generally  indulge,  are  intemperance  and  profanity. 
The  former  seems  more  prevalent  on  English,  and 
the  latter  on  American,  steamers.  Swearing,  by 
either  officers  or  crew,  is  strictly  against  the  rule 
on  the  English  passenger  lines  ;  but  there  seems  to 
be  no  objection  to  their  drinking  to  their  hearts' 
content.  On  the  American  vessels  the  rule  seems 
to  be  reversed  ;  as  I  saw  very  little  tippling,  but 
the  crew,  from  the  captain  to  the  cook,  indulged  in 
profanity  on  all  occasions. 

The  first  country  we  approached  after  leaving 
Italy  was  Greece.  This  country  is  small  in  space, 
but  wonderful  in  physical  advantages,  and  the 
beauty  and  variety  of  its  scenery  are  unequaled. 
The  coast  line  is  broken  by  numerous  bays  and 
harbors,  which  give  it  unusual  maritime  facilities. 
The  climate  is  salubrious,  the  soil  fertile,  and 
olives,  figs,  and  other  tropical  plants  grow  luxuri- 
antly. The  methods  of  tilling  the  soil  are  still 
primitive,  and  modern  implements  are  not  em- 
ployed to  any  extent. 

This  little  kingdom  has  been  subject  to  more 
than  its  share  of  turmoil  and  strife  ;  but  at  present 
it  is  blessed  with  prosperity  and  peace.  Want  of 
time  prevented  me  from  visiting  Athens,  the  great 
political  centre  of  the  country.  The  cities  at 
which  we  stopped  were  Navarino,  Zante,  Candia 
and  Ghazze.  After  leaving  the  latter  place,  Greece 
soon  faded  from  our  view  and  we  had  had  our 
last  glimpse  of  Europe. 


Egypt.  189 

As  we  neared  the  land  of  the  Pharoahs  the  water 
was  dotted  with  sailing  craft  of  every  description. 
Vessels  of  all  kinds  were  seen  on  every  side,  from 
the  stately  man-of-war  to  the  boat  of  the  Algiers 
pirate.  I  noticed  that  nearly  all  nations  had  their 
men-of-war  stationed  in  the  ports  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean to  look  after  their  subjects  and  the  interests 
of  their  respective  countries.  We  soon  sighted  the 
low  coast  of  Egypt,  and  I  was  to  have  my  first 
glimpse  of  the  Orient. 

The  first  port  at  which  we  stopped  was  Alex- 
andria. This  city  was  founded  by  Alexander  the 
Great,  332  B.  C.  The  ancient  city  contained  mag- 
nificent buildings,  and  was  for  centuries  the  centre 
of  commerce  and  of  learning-.  Few  of  the  remains 
of  the  ancient  city  are  now  visible.  Among  the 
most  striking  is  the  column  called  "  Pompey's 
Pillar."  It  stands  on  a  mound  of  earth  about 
forty  feet  high,  has  a  height  of  ninety-eight  feet,  and 
consists  of  a  single  piece  of  red  granite.  The 
greatest  drawback  to  Alexandria  is  the  shallow 
and  uncertain  harbor,  where  it  is  often  a  difficult 
task  for  vessels  to  get  in  and  out.  The  population 
,  numbers  250,000,  and  is  of  a  very  mixed  character, 
consisting  of  people  of  nearly  every  nationality. 

I  visited  the  museum,  which  is  filled  with  Egyp- 
tian antiquities  and  many  curious  relics  of  an  ancient 
civilization.  My  Arabian  guide  kept  me  moving 
from  object  to  object.      I   also  visited  the  various 


190  Around  the  World. 

mosques,  and  many  ancient  and  curious  ruins, — 
sights  which,  at  first  interesting,  after  a  time  be- 
come  monotonous. 

From  Alexandria  to  Cairo  is  a  distance  of  150 
miles  by  rail.  Cairo  is  the  capital  of  Egypt,  and 
is  situated  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Nile,  about 
twelve  miles  from  the  apex  of  its  delta.  The 
Nile  is  the  chief  natural  feature  of  Egypt,  and  the 
yearly  inundations  are  the  great  feature  of  the 
country.  With  the  exception  of  a  few  fertile 
oases,  nearly  all  the  cultivated  land  of  Egypt  lies 
in  the  valley  and  the  Delta  of  the  Nile.  Twelve 
miles  above  Cairo  the  river  separates  into  two 
streams,  which  continue  to  diverge  until  they  reach 
the  Mediterranean,  where  they  are  nearly  eighty 
miles  apart.  The  triangular  space  enclosed  by  the 
two  branches  of  the  river  is  called  the  Delta. 

The  soil  is  unsurpassed  in  fertility,  and  its  rich- 
ness is  annually  renewed  by  the  inundations  of  the 
river,  which  deposits  on  the  land  a  coating  which 
enriches  the  soil.  In  many  parts  plowing  is  dis- 
pensed with,  the  seed  is  thrown  upon  the  mud,  and 
sheep  or  pigs  turned  loose  in  the  fields  to  trample 
in  the  grain.  On  this  annual  inundation  depends 
the  success  of  the  crops,  as,  by  either  falling  or 
rising  too  high,  it  causes  much  damage  and  dis- 
tress. 

Cairo  is  partly  on  a  plain  and  partly  on  the 
lower  slopes  of  a  rocky  range  of  hills.     The  cita- 


MI!!IiH:!aliil:!|!,'iJ|i' 


(191) 


L92  Around  the  World. 

del  stands  on  an  eminence  250  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  city,  and  the  view  from  its  ramparts  is  one 
of  great  beauty  and  magnificence.  On  the  eastern 
side  the  Desert  of  Sahara  extends  almost  to  the 
gates  of  the  city. 

In  every  street  I  chanced  to  stroll,  I  was  sur- 
rounded by  beggars,  and  they  tormented  me  the 
most  of  any  of  this  class  that  I  ever  had  the  mis- 
fortune to  meet.  No  matter  which  way  you  turn, 
they  keep  following  you,  shouting  backsheesh,  back- 
sheesh; and,  were  it  not  for  the  fact  that  they  are 
innumerable,  one  would  be  oflad  to  eive  them  the 
money  they  demand,  in  order  to  get  rid  of  the 
sight  of  their  dusky  faces.  They  are  clothed  in 
rags,  and  covered  with  dirt  and  filth. 

Cairo  is  an  interesting  city  to  tourists.  It  is 
walled  oft  into  quarters,  deriving  their  names  from 
the  character  and  condition  of  their  occupants. 
The  houses  of  the  poorer  classes  consist  of  miser- 
able mud  hovels,  which  are  generally  filthy  and 
dilapidated.  The  houses  of  the  wealthy  citizens 
are  generally  very  elaborate  and  elegant.  A  wind- 
ing passage  leads  through  an  open  doorway  into 
the  court,  in  the  centre  of  which  is  a  fountain 
shaded  with  palm  trees.  The  principal  apartment 
is  generally  paved  with  marble. 

Among  the  important  public  buildings  is  the 
University  of  Islam.  The  students  are  said  to 
number  1 1,000,  and  the  majority  of  them  are  pre- 


Cairo —  The  Great  Pyramid.  193 

paring  for  the  priesthood.  They  are  taught 
theology,  the  exposition  of  the  Koran,  the  tra- 
ditions of  Mahomet,  and  are  well  grounded  in  civil, 
moral  and  criminal  laws  With  the  exception  of 
professors  of  literature,  few  Egyptians  are  taught 
to  read  and  write.  The  women  are  very  rarely 
taught  to  read.  The  palace  of  the  Khedive  is  a 
stately  and  imposing  building.  The  city  has  500 
mosques,  of  which  the  most  magnificent  is  the 
Mosque  of  Sultan  Hassan,  dating  from  1357,  and 
famous  for  the  grandeur  of  its  porch  and  cornice. 
The  Mosque  of  Tulon  was  founded  in  879,  and 
exhibits  some  very  ancient  specimens  of  architec- 
ture. The  citadel  was  built  in  1 166,  but  has  since 
been  frequently  altered.  It  now  contains  a  palace 
and  a  mosque  erected  by  Mehemet  Ali  on  the  site 
of  Joseph's  Hall,  in  the  centre  of  which  is  Joseph's 
Well,  which  is  sunk  in  solid  rock  to  the  level  of 
the  Nile.  Bazaars,  temples,  shrines  and  old  ruins 
are  numerous. 

Here  can  be  seen  people  of  every  nationality, 
sect  and  creed,  and  the  population  presents  a  very 
picturesque  and  interesting  appearance.  The  ma- 
jority of  the  streets  are  narrow  and  irregular, 
although  in  the  newer  portion  of  the  city  an  effort 
has  been  made  to  straighten  and  widen  them. 

I  next  visited  the  pyramids,  which  rank  among 
the  grandest  wonders  of  the  world.  They  are 
about  eight  miles  from  Cairo.  The  Great  Pyramid, 
13 


194  Around  the  World. 

or  Cheops,  as  it  is  called,  from  the  name  of  its 
builder,  dates  from  2,300  years  before  the  birth  of 
Christ,  and  was  built  at  an  enormous  expense.  It 
is  450  feet  high,  and  covers  about  twelve  acres  of 
ground.  My  guide  informed  me  that  it  required 
300,000  men  and  twenty  years  to  build  this  vast 
structure,  and  that  100,000  men  were  employed  ten 
years  in  constructing  the  causeway  by  which  the 
blocks  of  stone  were  transported  from  the  quarries 
to  the  banks  of  the  Nile,  from  whence  they  were 
taken  in  boats  to  the  other  side.  Here  these 
pyramids  have  stood  through  all  the  succeeding 
centuries,  defying  the  elements,  and  remaining  as 
perpetual  monuments  of  the  greatness  of  a  by- 
gone civilization. 

As  I  desired  to  make  the  ascent  to  the  top  of 
the  Cheops,  I  secured  the  services  of  three  Arabs 
for  the  sum  of  two  and  one-half  francs  apiece  to 
aid  me  in  the  undertaking.  Two  of  them  were 
occupied  in  pulling  me  up  by  the  hands,  and  the 
third  boosted  me  from  behind.  The  ascent  from 
the  foundation  to  the  top  consumed  eleven  minutes, 
including  the  intervals  of  rest.  From  this  height 
we  had  in  one  direction  a  fine  view  of  the  beautiful 
valley  of  the  Nile,  dotted  with  groups  of  trees, 
and  covered  with  green  fields ;  on  the  other  side 
lay  the  Desert  of  Sahara, — as  far  as  the  eye  could 
reach,  a  limitless  waste  of  sand. 

As    I    stood   gazing    out    over  the  country,  my 


The  Sphinx—  The  Nile.  195 

thoughts  traveled  back  over  the  long  line  of  years 
to  the  time  when  Joseph  was  the  ruler  of  Egypt, 
and  this  was  the  land  of  the  Pharaohs  ;  and  in 
imagination  I  could  see  the  waving  fields  of  corn 
which  grew  in  the  seven  years  of  plenty.  But 
these  people  have  long  since  crumbled  into  dust, 
with  only  here  and  there  a  monument  left  to  mark 
the  scenes  of  their  former  greatness. 

Near  the  Cheops  are  two  smaller  pyramids,  vary- 
ing in  height  from  250  to  350  feet,  but  large 
enough,  however,  to  do  justice  to  any  country  out- 
side of  Egypt.  Here,  also,  is  the  Sphinx,  with  its 
head  turned  toward  the  Nile,  carved  out  of  solid 
granite  rock,  and  supposed  to  represent  King 
Cephren,  the  builder  of  the  second  pyramid.  The 
soil  has  accumulated  around  the  base  until  only 
the  head  and  shoulders  are  visible  above  the  sand. 
To  my  mind,  the  Sphinx  is  fully  as  interesting  as 
the  pyramids. 

In  traveling  in  Egypt,  one  finds  that  camels  and 
donkeys  are  largely  used  as  a  means  of  transporta- 
tion by  both  the  stranger  and  the  native,  and  the 
tourist  who  is  desirous  of  visiting  the  sights  and 
objects  of  interest  in  the  surrounding  country  has 
no  difficulty  in  obtaining  an  outfit  and  putting  his 
desires  into  execution. 

From  Cairo  we  took  a  trip  up  the  River  Nile  as 
far  as  the  First  Cataract.  This  I  very  much 
enjoyed,  as  it  enabled  me  to  get  an  insight  into  the 


196  Around  the  World. 

life  and  customs  of  the  Arabs  who  live  along  the 
banks  of  this  famous  and  beautiful  stream.  I 
shall  not  soon  forget  these  dusky  denizens  of 
Egypt,  if  for  nothing  else  than  their  begging  pro- 
pensities. They  were  certainly  the  most  intoler- 
able nuisance  that  I  had  come  in  contact  with  dur- 
ing my  journey.  I  also  visited  the  island  of 
Rhoda,  a  short  distance  from  Cairo.  It  was  on 
the  southern  shore  of  this  island  that  Pharoah's 
daughter  discovered  the  infant  Moses.  I  had 
intended,  on  leaving  Cairo,  to  visit  Jerusalem  and 
its  historical  surroundings  ;  but  at  that  time  the 
cholera  was  raofinor  there,  and  I  thought  it  best  on 
that  account  to  give  up  a  journey  which  otherwise 
promised  so  much  of  interest  and  profit.  So,  with 
much  regret,  I  left  Egypt  without  visiting  the 
sacred  city,  but  still  hope  to  be  able  to  do  so 
sometime  in  the  future  when  I  have  again  earned 
a  recreation. 

From  Cairo  to  Suez  is  a  four-hours  railway  ride 
over  a  level  and  uninteresting  country.  Camels 
laden  with  packs,  and  driven  along  by  their  Arab 
masters,  were  the  chief  sights  on  this  route.  The 
city  of  Suez  is  situated  on  the  Red  Sea,  at  the 
southern  end  of  the  Suez  Canal,  and  is  140  miles 
from  Alexandria.  It  stands  in  a  desert.  The 
population,  which  numbers  about  12,000,  is  a  mix- 
ture of  European  and  Oriental  races. 

The  Suez  Canal  is  eighty-eight  miles  long,  and 


Suez  Canal  and  the  Red  Sea.  197 

extends  from  Port  Said,  on  the  Mediterranean,  to 
Suez,  on  the  Red  Sea.  It  passes  through  two 
lakes,  Lake  Timsah  and  the  Bitter  Lakes.  These, 
however,  were  dry  before  the  cutting  of  the  canal. 
The  channel  through  the  lakes  was  excavated 
partly  by  hand  labor,  and  partly  by  dredging  ;  the 
remainder  of  the  canal  was  cut  out  through  the 
desert.  This  canal  is  one  of  the  greatest  of  modern 
enterprises,  was  constructed  at  a  vast  expense,  and 
shortens  the  distance  for  ships  traveling  from  West- 
ern Europe  to  Asia  3,751  miles,  which  is  a  saving 
of  thirty-six  days  on  a  voyage. 

There  is  a  constant  stream  of  vessels  passing 
through  this  canal,  and  a  heavy  tax  is  levied  on 
each  vessel  for  the  privilege  of  going  through  it. 
The  stockholders  feather  in  an  enormous  revenue 
from  this  investment.  The  city  of  Suez  owes  its 
prosperity  to  this  canal,  as  a  large  number  of  steam- 
ships anchor  here,  and  it  is  a  connecting  point  for 
travelers  visiting  Africa,  Europe,  Australia  and 
India.  From  the  lighthouse  a  panoramic  view  can 
be  had  of  the  long  and  rugged  ranges  of  mountains 
on  both  the  Arabian  and  African  sides  of  the  Red 
Sea. 

At  Suez  I  embarked  on  the  floating  palace 
Kiserhind,avesselbeloncrinof  to  the  P.  and  O.  Steam- 
ship  Company.  The  anchor  was  raised,  and  we 
were  soon  speeding  away  over  the  Red  Sea.  The 
first  point  of  historical   interest  we  passed  was  the 


198  Around  the  World. 

place  where  Moses,  leading  the  children  of  Israel, 
is  popularly  supposed  to  have  crossed,  when  pur- 
sued by  Pharoah.  If  Pharoah  and  the  Egyptians 
were  drowned  in  the  Red  Sea,  they  certainly  had  a 
salty  grave,  as  this  sea  is  said  to  be  the  saltiest 
water  in  the  world,  with  the  exception  of  the  Dead 
Sea  and  the  Great  Salt  Lake.  On  the  Arabian 
side  is  a  well  called  Moses'  well.  This  well  is  much 
frequented  by  tourists,  and  the  waters  are  said  to 
be  very  bitter.  The  next  point  of  interest  was 
Mount  Sinai,  where  Moses  received  the  ten  com- 
mandments. Aside  from  its  historical  interest,  this 
mountain  and  its  surrounding  peaks  are  impressive 
in  their  sublimity.  From  a  distance  it  has  the 
appearance  of  a  long,  red  streak  in  the  Arabian 
mountains,  and  is  apparently  barren  of  vegetation. 
The  hot  rays  of  the  sun,  shining  upon  it,  gave  it  a 
smoky,  hazy  appearance. 

The  first  two  days  sailing  over  the  Red  Sea  the 
fervid  African  sun  poured  down  upon  us,  and  the 
heat  was  almost  unendurable.  The  thermometer 
registered  ninety-five  in  the  shade  at  7  a.  m.  In 
my  state-room,  at  midnight,  the  heat  was  almost 
enough  to  suffocate  me,  and  the  perspiration 
poured  from  every  pore.  A  sea  voyage  of  this 
kind  is  more  to  be  endured  than  to  be  enjoyed, 
especially  in  the  warm  season  of  the  year.  I  was 
told  that  persons  in  delicate  health  had  died  from 
the  effects  of  the  heat  while  crossing  this  sea.     The 


Down  the  African  Coast.  199 

lady  passengers,  seated  in  their  easy-chairs,  spent 
most  of  their  time  on  the  hurricane  deck,  where 
they  were  protected  from  the  blazing  sun  by  a  can- 
vas awning.  We  spent  most  of  our  time  trying  to 
catch  a  breeze,  which  was  about  as  scarce  as  green 
grass  on  the  Desert  of  Sahara. 

However,  on  this  occasion,  the  heat  was  of  but 
short  duration  ;  for,  suddenly,  the  smooth,  calm  sea 
was  swept  by  a  raging  storm,  which  sent  most  of 
the  passengers  to  their  berths,  and  sea-sickness  pre- 
vailed with  the  majority.  But  for  once  I  did  not 
succumb,  and  reported  regularly  at  the  table  when 
meal  time  came  around,  not  always  an  easy  thing 
to  do  in  a  heavy  gale.  This  storm  occurred  near 
the  Gulf  of  Aden,  where,  a  few  months  before,  two 
steamers  were  swamped,  and,  with  the  exception  of 
one  man,  all  on  board  were  lost.  However,  acci- 
dents are  expected  to  occur  here  at  any  time,  as 
this  is  a  treacherous  sea,  full  of  rocks  and  islands, 
where  vessels  have  been  stranded,  and  shipwrecks 
are  of  frequent  occurrence,  especially  during  the 
monsoon  season.  In  the  last  few  years  they 
have  begun  to  erect  lighthouses  on  the  various 
islands,  and  these  beacons  of  light,  shining  out 
over  the  dark  sea,  will  prevent  much  disaster  in  the 
future. 

There  is  not  much  in  the  way  of  scenery  along 
the  shores  of  the  Red  Sea.  There  is  generally  a 
narrow,  sandy   plain    along   the    coast,  backed  by 


200  Around  the  World. 

ranges  of  barren  mountains,  abrupt  in  outline  and 
of  moderate  height.  We  passed  a  group  of  twelve 
islands  called  the  Twelve  Apostles,  which  are 
named  accordingly.  As  the  smallest  island  is 
almost  covered  up  in  the  sea,  and  the  waters  in  its 
vicinity  are  consequently  more  treacherous  and 
dangerous  to  vessels,  it  is  therefore  called  Judas 
Iscariot.  There  are  several  physical  features 
about  this  body  of  water  from  which  its  name  may 
have  been  derived,  one  being  the  abundance  of  red 
coral,  and  another  the  red  fish  which  abound  in  its 
waters.  The  Red  Sea  is  about  1,200  miles  long, 
and  200  miles  broad  at  its  widest  part. 

The  last  object  which  attracted  our  attention 
as  we  steamed  into  the  port  of  Aden  was  the 
Island  of  Perim,  which  divides  the  sea  into  two 
channels,  called  respectively  the  Great  and  Little 
Channels.  The  former  is  ten  miles  broad,  and  the 
latter  narrow  and  shallow.  This  island  is  a  bare 
black  rock,  three  miles  and  a  half  long,  and 
probably  a  little  over  two  miles  wide.  It  is  almost 
destitute  of  vegetation,  and  is  without  water. 

Aden  belongs  to  Great  Britain,  and  is  one  of  the 
coaling  stations  of  the  P.  and  O.  Steamship  Com- 
pany. It  has  a  population  of  about  35,000,  and 
considerable  trade  is  carried  on  here  in  the  products 
of  Arabia,  such  as  coffee,  gum,  feathers,  pearls  and 
ivory.  Coal,  for  the  use  of  the  steamers  is  its 
most  valuable  import.     One  of  the  principal  occu- 


Arabian  Sea  —  Indian-  Ocean.  201 

pations  of  the  inhabitants  seems  to  be  begging. 
In  this  art  I  found  them  not  far  behind  their 
Egyptian  brethren.  They  also  have  trinkets  and 
jewelry  to  sell,  for  which  they  expect  to  receive 
many  times  their  actual  value. 

On  leaving  Aden,  we  had  a  long  sea  voyage 
before  us,  as  our  next  destination  was  Colombo,  in 
Ceylon.  We  passed  through  the  Gulf  of  Aden 
into  the  Arabian  Sea,  then  out  upon  the  Indian 
Ocean,  and  found  traveling  much  pleasanter  on 
this  body  of  water  than  on  the  sultry  Red  Sea. 
We  had  on  board  several  passengers  of  high  rank, 
among  the  most  noteworthy  being  Lord  Byron, 
a  relative  of  the  famous  poet ;  and  Lord  Car- 
rington,  the  newly  appointed  Governor  of  New 
South  Wales,  in  Australia.  There  were  also  other 
lords  and  noblemen  of  more  or  less  importance, 
who  were  going  as  representatives  of  the  English 
Government  to  India  and  China,  and  the  majority 
of  these  gentlemen  were  accompanied  by  their 
wives.  They  all  helped  to  swell  the  number  of 
what  I  believe  to  be  one  of  the  jolliest  lot  of  pas- 
sengers that  ever  sailed  in  the  Oriental  seas.  We 
devised  various  amusements  and  entertainments  to 
fill  up  the  time,  and  break  the  monotony  of  the 
slowly  passing  days. 

We  traveled  at  the  rate. of  about  275  miles  a 
day,  passing  Cape  Guardafui,  on  the  African  coast, 
and  the   Island  of    Socotra.      The  country  in   the 


202  Around  the  World. 

vicinity  of  the  cape  is  said  to  be  inhabited  by  can- 
nibals. In  this  torrid  climate  the  evening  is  the 
pleasantest  part  of  the  day  ;  for,  as  soon  as  the 
tropical  sun  begins  to  ascend  the  horizon,  the  cabin 
and  state-rooms  become  uncomfortably  warm,  and 
the  majority  of  the  passengers  ascend  to  the  hurri- 
cane deck,  where  they  are  somewhat  protected  from 
the  sun's  rays  by  the  canvas  awning,  and  try  in 
various  ways  to  while  away  the  long  hours.  Some 
are  engaged  in  reading  or  writing;  others,  in  spin- 
ning yarns  about  the  past,  or  telling  conundrums. 
Some  are  speculating  on  the  latitude  or  longitude 
we  are  in,  on  the  depth  of  the  sea  or  the  height  of 
the  barometer;  wondering  how  many  miles  we 
traveled  yesterday,  and  whether  we  are  going  to 
have  a  storm  to-morrow,  etc.  And  so  the  days  go 
by  until  the  novelty  wears  away  and  the  jokes 
grow  stale.  We  begin  to  tire  of  new  friends,  and 
long  for  the  old,  familiar  faces.  We  weary  of  the 
seemingly  boundless  waste  of  water,  and  sigh  for  a 
glimpse  of  land.  We  grow  impatient  for  new 
sights  and  scenes. 

On  this  voyage  we  had  several  preachers  aboard, 
and,  as  a  natural  consequence,  had  religious  services 
on  Sundays.  Every  Sunday  at  six  bells,  or  eleven 
o'clock,  the  fire  alarm  was  sounded,  and  the  crew 
hurried  out  in  full  force,  and,  for  a  brief  space  of 
time,  the  decks  were  a  scene  of  great  confusion. 
This,  of  course,  was  in  every  case  a  false  alarm, 


Ceylon.  203 

but  was  part  of  the  ordinary  routine,  as  it  is  neces- 
sary to  keep  the  crew  well  drilled,  so  that,  in  the 
case  of  a  genuine  fire,  they  will  be  able  to  obey 
orders  promptly  and  efficiently.  Of  all  the  calam- 
ities liable  to  occur  at  sea,  fire  is  the  most  to  be 
dreaded,  and  every  precaution  is  necessary  to  be 
used  to  guard  against  it.  Finally,  after  a  voyage 
of  3,500  miles  from  Suez,  we  entered  the  harbor  of 
Colombo. 

Here  we  drew  a  sigh  of  relief,  and  hailed  with 
joy  the  termination  of  a  long  and  somewhat  peril- 
ous voyage.  We  had  crossed  the  barren  deserts 
of  Egypt,  endured  the  heat  on  the  Red  Sea,  and 
stood  the  racket  of  the  monsoon  on  the  Indian 
Ocean  ;  so  that  now  the  prospect  of  landing  on 
terra  firma,  and  enjoying  the  shade  of  the  dense 
masses  of  tropical  foliage,  seemed  pleasant  indeed. 


204  A  round  the  World. 


CHAPTER  X. 

CEYLON    AND    INDIA. 

As  soon  as  the  steamer  cast  anchor,  we  were 
surrounded  by  natives,  each  in  his  rickety  little 
boat,  who  swarmed  the  harbor  like  sea  dogs,  and 
looked  about  as  rickety  as  their  boats,  which  are 
long  and  narrow  as  a  canoe.  They  kept  up  an 
incessant  yelling  and  scrambling,  each  trying  to 
secure  his  share  of  the  passengers  to  convey  to  the 
shore.  In  a  short  space  of  time,  after  entrusting 
yourself  to  one  of  these  wretched  little  boats,  you 
are  landed  on  shore.  For  this  service  the  boat- 
man will  charge  you  a  half  a  rupee,  or  twenty 
cents.  If  you  do  not  come  up  to  his  expectations 
in  the  matter  of  an  extra  fee,  you  are  threatened 
with  a  ducking.  Should  the  boat  capsize,  it 
would  have  no  more  effect  on  the  natives,  who 
are  principally  Singhalese,  than  throwing  a  cork 
into  the  water.  They  are  apparently  not  born  to  be 
drowned. 

On  landing,  you  are  importuned  by  guides  and 
half-naked  beggars,  both  an  unmitigated  nuisance 
in  their  way.  On  the  streets  you  are  followed  by 
venders  of  curios  and  cheap  jewelry.     The  latter 


Colombo.  205 

they  try  to  palm  off  as  genuine  jewels,  and  charge 
enormous  prices  in  proportion  to  their  actual 
value  ;  and,  should  the  unwary  traveler  allow  him- 
self to  be  beguiled  into  purchasing  the  wares  of 
the  dusky  merchants,  he  will  depart  from  the  Island 
of  Ceylon   a  sadder  and  a  wiser  man. 

Colombo  is  the  commercial  metropolis,  and  at 
present  the  capital,  of  Ceylon,  and  has  a  mixed  pop- 
ulation of  over  100,000.  The  people  consist  of 
descendants  of  the  Portuguese  and  Dutch,  who 
have  both  at  different  times  controlled  the  island, 
Singhalese,  Chinese,  Arabs,  Persians,  Parsees  and 
half-castes  of  all  colors.  There  are  a  large  num- 
ber  of  English  residents,  many  of  them  belonging 
to  noble  families.  They  are  mainly  dependent  on 
mercantile  or  political  occupations,  although  some 
of  them  are  planters.  This  city  lies  north  of  the 
Equator,  in  latitude  seven.  Tropical  fruits  and  all 
kinds  of  vegetation  grow  luxuriantly.  On  ap- 
proaching the  city,  one  would  scarcely  believe  that 
it  could  contain  such  a  large  population,  as  many 
of  the  native  dwellings  are  merely  small  huts  which 
are  hidden  from  view  by  the  overhanging  palm  and 
cocoanut  trees. 

One  of  the  greatest  enterprises  of  Colombo  is 
the  magnificent  breakwater  lately  constructed  by 
the  British  Government,  the  first  stone  of  which 
was  laid  by  the  Prince  of  Wales  in  1875.  Vessels 
can  now  lie  at  anchor  in  safety  in  this  harbor,  even 


206  Around  the  World. 

when  the  monsoon  is  at  its  worst.  Among  the 
places  interesting  for  a  stranger  to  visit  are  the  for- 
tifications, the  barracks,  the  parade  ground,  the 
cinnamon  gardens,  the  museum  and  the  clock 
tower.  I  also  visited  the  prison,  and  had  a  conver- 
sation with  Arabi  Pasha,  the  noted  Turkish  Gen- 
eral who  was  captured  in  Egypt  by  the  English, 
and  sent  to  Ceylon,  where  he  is  detained  as  a 
prisoner.  He  is  a  large  man,  and  has  a  very  de- 
termined appearance. 

In  the  various  countries  I  had  visited,  I  had 
ridden  in  the  vehicles  peculiar  to  each  country,  and 
I  was  now  about  to  enjoy  the  privilege  of  riding 
in  what,  so  far,  was  to  be  the  most  novel  of  them 
all.  This  consisted  of  a  clumsy  sort  of  a  cart 
drawn  by  a  buffalo,  and,  of  course,  driven  by  a 
native  driver.  I  paid  my  half-rupee  to  the  driver, 
boarded  the  cart,  and  started  to  inspect  the  suburbs 
of  the  city  at  the  rate  of  about  two  miles  an  hour. 
This  particular  buffalo  was  as  docile  as  a  kitten, 
and  about  as  swift  as  a  snail.  The  driver  looked  a 
great  deal  wilder  than  the  steed.  The  least  I  can 
say  for  this  expedition  is  that  it  made  up  in  novelty 
what  it  lacked  in  comfort.  In  Ceylon,  buffalo, 
native  oxen,  or  cows,  generally  take  the  place  of 
the  horse,  and  are  usually  driven  single  in  a  clumsy 
kind  of  a  cart. 

The  Singhalese  are,  as  a  rule,  well  formed,  and, 
were  it  not    for  their  brown    skins,  good  looking. 


Native  Life  in  Ceylon.  207 

They  are  more  intelligent  than  any  other  of  the 
Oriental  races,  and  most  of  them  have  more  or  less 
knowledge  of  the  English  language.  Ceylon  was 
the  only  country  in  the  Orient  where  I  could  travel 
to  good  advantage  without  an  interpreter.  The 
native  food  is  similar  to  that  used  by  the  Chinese, 
and  cooked  and  served  in  about  the  same  manner. 
Rice,  fish,  tea,  and  different  kinds  of  bread-fruit 
are  their  staple  food. 

As  Ceylon  is  situated  in  the  tropics,  very  little 
clothing  is  needed,  and  very  little  used  by  the 
natives.  The  peculiar  costume  of  the  women  at- 
tracts considerable  attention  from  the  stranger,  and 
they  resemble  our  Indian  women  in  their  fondness 
for  brilliant  colors.  Before  you  get  fairly  acquainted 
with  the  feminine  style  of  dress,  you  will  hardly  be 
able  to  distinguish  the  men  from  the  women. 
However,  if  they  do  not  beg,  you  may  be  pretty 
sure  that  it  is  a  woman,  as  the  men  are  nearly  all 
inveterate  beggars.  The  children  have  no  costume 
to  attract  attention  from  any  one.  You  can  see 
them  playing  or  running  along  the  streets  entirely 
destitute  of  clothing  of  any  kind.  It  requires 
very  little  time,  however,  to  become  accustomed  to 
these  things,  which  at  first  seem  so  peculiar,  and 
ere  long  one  ceases  to  notice  them  at  all. 

From  Colombo,  I  visited  Kandy.  This  town  is 
situated  in  the  interior  of  Ceylon,  seventy-five  miles 
by  rail  from  Colombo,  and  over  1,700  feet  above 


208  Around  the  World. 

the  level  of  the  sea.  The  road  between  the  two 
places  is  remarkable  for  its  beauty,  and  the  won- 
derful engineering  skill  shown  in  its  construction. 
On  the  last  thirty  miles  of  this  road,  there  are 
eight  tunnels,  the  track  winds  around  the  mount- 
ain tops,  and,  with  each  succeeding  mile,  the 
scenery  grows  wilder  and  grander.  We  pass  peak 
after  peak,  until  Bible  Rock,  which  towers  hundreds 
of  feet  above  them  all,  is  left  behind,  and  we  find 
ourselves  nearly  2,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
sea,  in  one  of  the  most  picturesque  countries  in  the 
world.  Here  we  had  a  commandinof  view  of  rice 
fields,  coffee  and  tea  plantations,  which  are  situated 
on  steep  hillsides  and  in  deep  gulches,  and  every- 
where could  be  seen  the  natives  busily  engaged  in 
tilling  the  soil.  As  I  gazed  on  this  beautiful  trop- 
ical panorama,  I  concluded  that  I  had  at  last  found 
something  to  equal  in  grandeur  Cape  Horn  in  the 
Sierras,  the  Alps,  and  the  grand  mountain  scenery 
in  Norway. 

Kandy  is  beautifully  surrounded  by  hills  ;  it  is 
built  around  the  margin  of  an  artificial  lake  con- 
structed  in  1806  by  the  last  king  of  Kandy,  and  is 
situated  in  the  heart  of  the  coffee  and  tea  planta- 
tions. Tropical  fruits  grow  in  profusion.  Here 
can  be  seen  the  cinnamon  tree,  the  cocoanut,  the 
pine-apple  and  the  bread-fruit.  This  fruit  the  na- 
tives boil,  using  it  largely  in  the  place  of  bread. 
The  palm,  with  its  spreading  branches,   affords  a 


Buddhist    Temple  and  Relics.  209 

fine  shade  ;  and  the  lantena,  a  species  of  berry 
fruit,  grows  rank  all  over  the  island. 

Among  the  most  striking  objects  of  interest  at 
Kandy  are  the  temples,  of  which  there  are  sixteen, 
twelve  Buddhist  and  four  Brahman.  Of  the 
Buddhist  temples  probably  the  one  most  worthy  of 
mention  is  Dalada  Malagawa,  as  it  claims  to  be  in 
possession  of  a  tooth  of  Buddha.  I  was  shown  the 
casket  which  contains  the  tooth,  which  has  been 
guarded  for  centuries  as  a  memento  of  the  famous 
teacher.  Ceylon  was  converted  to  Buddhism  500 
B.  C,  and  mayproperly  be  called  a  Buddhist  coun- 
try, as  the  majority  of  the  Singhalese,  who  number 
seventy  per  cent,  of  the  population,  are  Buddhists. 

When  I  visited  the  temples  the  priests  very 
politely  and  willingly  showed  me  their  images  and 
sacred  curiosities  ;  but  from  the  time  I  entered  the 
temple  and  commenced  my  investigation  of  the 
sacred  relics  until  I  left  it,  the  priests  followed  me 
around  with  musical  instruments,  which  to  my  mind 
resembled  cow-bells  and  tin  horns,  and  beat  the 
tom-tom  until  I  was  almost  distracted  with  the 
noise.  I  was  frequently  enjoined  not  to  touch  the 
images  or  relics,  as  they  were  all  sacred  ;  but  the 
priests  themselves,  I  found,  were  not  too  sacred  to 
beg.  After  they  had  got  all  the  pennies  they  could 
possibly  squeeze  out  of  me,  I  was  led  out  through 
a  succession  of  iron  doors  in  a  grandly  ceremonious 
style,  followed  up  in  the  meanwhile  by  the  beating 
14 


210  Around  the  World. 

of  the  torn  torn.  This  was  a  visit  that  I  have  no 
longing  to  repeat. 

The  only  hotel  in  Kandy  is  the  Queen's  Hotel, 
which  is  kept  partly  in  European  and  partly  in  the 
Oriental  style.  The  servants  were  natives.  The 
charge  at  this  hotel  for  accommodations  was  six 
rupees,  or  three  dollars,  a  day.  A  native  servant 
lies  down  in  the  hall  outside  the  bedroom,  acting,  I 
suppose,  as  a  body  guard.  I  had  my  mind  and 
eyes  as  much  on  the  guard  as  on  the  thieves,  from 
which  he  was  supposed  to  be  a  protection.  How- 
ever, he  expected  to  be  tipped  with  a  few  annas  for 
this  service,  on  my  departure  from  the  hotel.  This 
detestable  custom  of  feeing  the  servants,  which 
prevails  in  France,  Italy  and  Egypt,  also  extends 
to  every  country  in  Asia. 

The  first  thing  that  attracted  my  attention  upon 
my  arrival  in  Kandy,  was  the  absence  of  white  men. 
The  streets  were  black  with  natives,  who  came 
swarming  around  me  trying  to  sell  their  worthless 
trinkets,  and,  when  I  positively  refused  to  buy,  then 
they  would  begin  to  beg.  I  was  very  much  inter- 
ested in  studying  the  manners  and  customs  of  the 
natives  and  their  life,  both  in  town  and  on  the  plan- 
tations. The  problem  of  life  is  a  serious,  and  to 
me  an  interesting,  study. 

Many  travelers  are  afraid  to  venture  into  the 
interior  of  the  Oriental  countries  on  account  of 
the  treacherv  of  the  natives,  and   are  content  with 


Interior  of  Ceylon.  211 

visiting  the  seaport  towns,  and  keeping  along  the 
beaten  line  of  travel.  On  several  occasions  I  have 
had  European  tourists  agree  to  visit  interior  places 
with  me ;  but  in  every  instance,  when  the  time 
came  to  start,  they  would  "  fly  the  track,"  and  say 
that  it  was  too  dangerous,  that  we  might  be  mur- 
dered,  etc.  For  my  part,  I  would  about  as  soon 
stay  at  home  as  to  be  obliged  to  follow  closely  in 
the  beaten  track  of  other  travelers.  I  like  to  di- 
gress ;  a  little  danger  and  uncertainty  gives  spice 
to  an  adventure.  However,  when  I  saw  the 
timidity  with  which  other  travelers  viewed  these 
trips  into  the  interior,  I  concluded  that  I  deserved 
some  credit  for  bravery. 

Since  1817  the  entire  sovereignty  of  the  Island 
of  Ceylon  has  been  in  the  hands  of  the  British, 
and  they  controlled  the  principal  forts  along  the 
seaboard  as  early  as  1796.  I  have  noticed  that 
law  and  order  seem  to  prevail  in  all  of  Great 
Britain's  possessions,  and  Ceylon  is  no  exception  to 
this  rule.  The  natives  seem  to  be  perfectly  satisfied 
with  their  strict  but  good  government.  The  gov- 
ernment of  Ceylon  maintains  a  large  number  of 
public  schools,  and  there  are  also  schools  under  the 
management  of  the  Roman  Catholics  and  other 
missionary  bodies.  I  was  told  that  the  Singhalese 
children  are,  as  a  rule,  very  bright,  and  learn  the 
English  language  quite  rapidly.  Some  of  the 
wealthier  natives  send   their   sons  to  Oxford  to  be 


212  Around  the  World. 

educated.  I  had  an  interview  with  a  Singhalese 
graduate  who  had  just  returned  from  that  institu- 
tion, and  had  been  awarded  an  important  position 
by  the  British  Government.  Native  students  are 
often  given  official  positions  when  qualified  to  fill 
them,  and  are  thus  encouraged  to  perfect  them- 
selves in  a  knowledge  of  the  English  language  and 
English  institutions. 

Ceylon  is  now,  like  the  balance  of  British  India, 
on  the  high  road  to  civilization.  Nearly  all  of  the 
producers  of  the  islands  are  English  planters,  who 
employ  native  servants  at  very  meagre  wages. 
A  sixpence  a  day  is  the  most  that  is  paid  for  ten 
hours'  work.  The  natives,  however,  do  not  seem 
to  need  much  money,  as  they  are  not  at  all  enter- 
prising, and  are  satisfied  with  a  mere  existence. 
Food  is  obtained  at  a  trifling  expense,  and  in  this 
warm  climate  much  clothing  is  not  needed.  These 
European  planters  have  rather  a  fine  thing  of  it,  as 
they  have  been  enabled  to  purchase  this  land  at  a 
very  low  price,  and  native  labor  is  so  extremely 
cheap. 

Ceylon  is  rich  in  resources,  and  well  able  to  sup- 
port her  population  of  3,000,000.  In  addition 
to  her  tropical  fruits,  rice  and  coffee  plantations, 
she  has  some  mineral  wealth.  In  the  western  and 
southern  portions  of  the  island,  iron  exists  in  large 
quantities,  and  is  of  excellent  quality.  In  many 
places  it  crops  out  at  the  surface  in  a  state  of  great 


Various  Resources  of  the  Island.  213 

purity.  From  time  immemorial  the  Singhalese 
have  been  accustomed  to  work  the  ore  into  tools; 
and,  although  the  means  they  employ  are  rude  and 
imperfect,  they  manufacture  articles  which  are 
esteemed  by  them  far  above  those  imported  from 
Europe.  The  rudely  worked  Singhalese  iron  is 
equal  in  temper  to  the  finest  Swedish  metal.  Nat- 
ural deposits  of  common  salt  are  found  in  many  of 
the  provinces.  It  is  also  produced  by  artificial 
means  in  large  quantities. 

Extensive  pearl  fisheries  exist  off  the  northern 
part  of  the  western  coast  of  Ceylon.  The  banks 
on  which  these  oysters  are  found  are  situated  at  a 
distance  of  from  sixteen  to  twenty  miles  from  the 
shore,  and  extend  north  and  south  for  many  miles. 
The  fisheries  are  conducted  by  the  government, 
which  sells  the  oysters  in  heaps  of  1,000,  as  they 
are  landed  from  the  boats.  In  some  parts  of  the 
island  precious  stones  are  met  with  in  great  abun- 
dance, the  most  valuable  of  which  are  the  ruby,  the 
amethyst,  the  sapphire,  the  cat's-eye  and  the  car- 
buncle. Moonstones,  cinnamon  stones  and  gar- 
nets are  found  in  great  abundance  and  variety. 

In  the  hill  country  every  valley  and  open  plain 
is  made  to  yield  its  crop  of  grain,  and  the  steep 
sides  of  the  hills  are  cut  into  terraces,  on  which 
are  seen  waving  patches  of  green  rice  watered 
from  the  mountain  streams.  Tobacco  is  exten- 
sively   cultivated  in    various  parts    of  the    island. 


214  Around  the  World. 

The  cultivation  of  coffee  is  one  of  the  most  impor- 
tant industries,  as  the  soil  and  climate  of  Ceylon 
are  capable  of  yielding  an  excellent  quality  of  this 
product. 

Probably  the  most  valuable  tree  which  grows  on 
this  island  is  the  cocoanut  palm.  The  plaited 
leaves  of  this  tree  serve  as  plates  and  dishes,  and 
as  a  thatch  for  the  cottage  of  the  native.  The 
dried  leaves  are  used  as  torches,  and  the  laro;e  leaf- 
stalks  for  garden  fences.  The  trunk  of  the  tree 
sawed  up  is  employed  for  every  possible  purpose: 
its  fruit,  when  green,  supplies  food  and  drink;  when 
ripe,  it  yields  oil.  The  fibre  of  the  cocoanut  is 
worked  up  into  a  kind  of  yarn  and  cordage  called 
cori,  which  is  admirably  adapted  for  use  in  salt 
water.  The  trading  vessels  of  this  country  em- 
ploy no  other  cordage  or  rope  but  this,  and  the 
planks  of  the  small  vessels  are  often  held  together 
by  cori  yarn,  without  the  aid  of  a  single  nail. 

The  following  review  of  the  voyage  from  Egypt 
to  Ceylon,  with  some  other  items,  is  reprinted  from 
the  Modesto  Herald: 

LETTER   FROM    CEVLON. 

Special  Correspondence  to  the  Herald. 

Kandy,  Ceylon,  Nov.  4,  18S5. 

Editor  Herald: — A  few  more  lines  about  my  movements  in  the 
Oriental  world. 

After  sight-seeing  among  the  mysteries  of  Egypt,  I  resumed  my  journey 
to  India,  and  embarked  at  Suez  on  the  magnificent  steamer  Kiserhind, 
belonging  to  the  Peninsular  and  Oriental  Steamship  Company.  The  line  is 
said  to  be  the  safest  of  any  line  that  runs  in  the  Eastern  waters.     Accidents 


Letter  from   Ceylon.  215 

are  almost  unknown  to  this  line,  even  in  the  Bay  of  Biscay,  or  on  the 
treacherous  Red  Sea,  where  shi;  wrecks  have  been  of  frequent  occurrence. 

The  town  of  Suez,  on  the  south  end  of  the  canal,  has  a  mixed  population 
of  12,000  inhabitants.  Here  is  a  general  anchorage  of  steamers  where 
passengers  make  connections  and  selections  for  their  destination.  From 
Suez  we  enter  the  Red  Sea.  The  first  two  days  out  the  African  sun  was 
almost  unendurable.  It  is  hot,  without  a  breeze,  the  thermometer  standing 
ninety  in  the  shade  at  8  o'clock  A.  M.,  and  at  midnight,  in  my  state-room,  I 
was  soaked  with  perspiration  as  though  I  had  come  out  of  a  sweat-box. 
Under  such  circumstances  a  sea  voyage  is  only  to  be  endured,  but  not 
enjoyed  very  highly.  However,  this  extreme  heat  was  only  of  short  dura- 
tion, as  we  were  soon  surprised  and  comforted  by  a  raging  storm  and  breeze 
that  washed  the  hurricane  decks,  and  sea-sickness  was  the  result.  Many  of 
the  passengers  were  feeding  the  fishes;  but  on  this  voyage  I  was  not  one  of 
them,  as  I  reported  regularly  at  the  table.  The  storm  was  near  the  Gulf  of 
Aden,  where  a  steamer  was  swamped  last  June,  and  all  the  lives  were  lost 
but  one  man.  The  next  day  the  storm  subsided  to  a  usual  calmness.  The 
Red  Sea  is  1,200  miles  long,  and  from  60  to  175  miles  wide,  and  it  is  said  to 
be  one  of  the  saltiest  bodies  of  water  in  the  world.  The  leading  historic 
objects  of  interest  on  the  Red  Sea  coast  are  Mount  Sinai,  where  Moses 
received  the  law,  known  as  the  Ten  Commandments,  and  a  well  where  the 
Arabs  frequent,  and  which  they  call  the  Well  of  Moses.  The  water  of  this 
well  is  bitter. 

Ceylon  has  a  mixed  population  of  3,000,000,  composed  of  the  dusky 
races.  Kandy,  seventy-five  miles  from  Colombo,  has  many  attractions  for 
the  tourist  and  sight-seer.  The  city  is  situated  amid  rolling  hills,  and  sur- 
rounded by  coffee  plantations  and  luxuriant  gardens  of  tropical  fruits  and 
trees.  The  Buddhist  Temple  is  the  grandest  of  all  the  objects  to  be  seen  in 
Kandy.  The  peculiar  constructions  of  the  railway  and  the  scenery  along 
the  line  from  Colombo  to  Kandy  on  the  upper  forty  miles  are  the  grandest 
in  the  world.  The  hill  country  of  Ceylon  is  bright  with  the  rich  green  of 
tropical  plantations,  and  presents  many  interesting  landscapes. 

Notwithstanding  the  heat  in  this  tropical  climate,  I  have  found  my 
travels  enjoyable  and  interesting,  and  I  have  formed  many  pleasant  acquaint- 
ances both  on  land  and  water.  But  a  long,  long  letter  of  credit  I  have 
found  to  be  the  most  useful  companion. 

From  here  I  will  visit  many  interesting  points  in  India,  thence  to  Aus- 
tralia, and  extend  my  journey  to  Japan  and  China.  I  anticipate  arriving  in 
San  Francisco  about  the  15th  of  January,  and  will  have  traveled  in  all 
about  50,000  miles,  and  thus  have  completed  the  circle  around  the  world. 

Osmun  Johnson. 


216  Around  the  World. 

After  extended  traveling  along  the  sea-coast  and 
interior  of  Ceylon  ;  after  viewing  her  scenery  and 
resources,  from  Peduratallagalla,  her  loftiest  mount- 
ain, 8,280  feet  high,  to  the  coffee  plantations  in  the 
deepest  gulches, — I  took  the  steamer  at  Galle  for 
Madras,  a  distance  of  700  miles.  This  city  is 
situated  on  the  eastern  coast  of  Hindustan,  ranks 
third  among  the  ports  of  India  in  respect  to  the 
number  and  tonnage  of  vessels  stopping  there,  and 
the  value  of  its  exports  and  imports,  and  carries  on 
trade  with  every  part  of  the  world.  Madras  has 
a  population  of  about  500,000,  which  includes 
Europeans,  Hindus,  Parsees,  Mohammedans  and 
a  mixture  of  many  other  races. 

As  this  city  has  no  harbor,  passengers  must  be 
transferred  quite  a  distance  in  small  surf  boats, 
which  are  propelled  by  natives.  As  there  is  a 
heavy  surf  breaking  on  the  shore  all  the  time,  the 
landing  is  too  dangerous  and  difficult  to  be  inter- 
esting. Here  I  saw  a  curious  way  of  transferring 
the  mail  to  the  shore.  Should  the  vessel  enter  the 
roadstead  in  a  sea  so  heavy  that  the  small  boats 
can  not  effect  a  landing,  the  natives  tie  a  pair  of 
logs  together,  on  which  they  ride  to  and  from  the 
boat.  The  mail  ba^s  are  tied  on  to  their  heads. 
Should  they  roll  off  the  logs,  it  would  produce 
about  the  same  effect  on  them  that  it  would  on  a 
duck.  Upon  landing  on  shore,  you  are  immedi- 
ately surrounded  and  beset  by  beggars  and  guides. 


From  Madras  to   Calcutta.  217 

Here  you  see  the  traveling  chair,  or  two-wheeled 
Jin-rik-ishia,  which  is  used  in  China  and  Japan. 
The  natives  who  propel  these  vehicles  are  not  be- 
hind the  best  of  their  Asiatic  brethren  in  extortion 
and  attempts  to  fleece  the  unwary  stranger. 

The  leading  manufacturing  industries  are  the 
manufacture  of  silk,  lace  and  Indian  shawls.  These 
goods  can  be  purchased  here  at  astonishingly  low 
prices,  mainly  due  to  the  cheapness  of  labor.  As 
baggage  has  to  go  through  the  custom  house  so 
frequently,  and  import  duty  is  imposed  on  articles 
of  this  kind,  it  is  not  best  to  accumulate  too  much 
at  even  low  figures.  One  of  the  principal  attrac- 
tions in  the  city  is  the  museum  and  the  menagerie, 
where  can  be  seen  the  wild  animals  common  to 
India.  Among  the  places  I  inspected  were  the 
fortifications,  the  Government  House,  the  numerous 
and  imposing  mosques,  the  temples  and  the  native 
shops.  The  lighthouse,  which  is  125  feet  high,  is 
visible  from  a  ship's  deck  fifteen  miles  at  sea. 

From  Madras  to  Calcutta,  the  capital  of  India, 
is  a  distance  of  750  miles,  and  a  three-days  journey 
by  steamer.  Calcutta  is  situated  on  the  east  bank 
of  the  River  Hugh,  about  eighty  miles  from  the 
sea-coast.  It  has  a  population  of  a  million  souls, 
composed  of  representatives  of  nearly  all  the 
Asiatic  races,  and  a  large  number  of  Europeans. 
It  derives  its  name  from  the  village  of  Kaliehat, 
on  account  of   the  great  mortality  which  existed 


218  Around  the  World. 

there  for  many  years.  It  was  identified  in  the 
mind  of  the  mariner  with  Golgotha,  the  place  of 
skulls.  It  is  now  sometimes  called  the  City  of 
Palaces,  a  name  which  it  richly  deserves,  as  the 
streets,  in  the  European  quarter  especially,  are 
lined  with  magnificent  structures.  Anions  the  most 
costly  buildings  are  St.  Paul's  Cathedral  and  the 
Government  House,  each  erected  at  a  cost  of  about 
half  a  million  dollars. 

The  most  interesting  of  all  sights  in  Calcutta  is 
the  shipping.  The  Port  of  Calcutta  extends  ten 
miles  along  the  Hugh  ;  the  average  width  of  the 
channel  is  250  yards,  and  it  has  moorings  for  169 
vessels.  At  the  railway  terminus  on  the  Hourah 
side  of  the  river  is  an  immense  floating  bridge, 
which  was  built  at  a  cost  of  over  a  million  dollars. 
It  is  constructed  on  pontons,  and  affords  a  con- 
tinuous roadway  for  vehicles  and  foot  passengers. 

In  the  Zoological  Gardens  can  be  seen  nearly 
every  kind  of  animal  peculiar  to  India.  The 
Botanical  Gardens  contain  all  varieties  of  tropical 
plants,  and  are  an  attractive  place  to  visit.  I  also 
visited  the  fortifications,  the  art  galleries  and  the 
museum.  I  strolled  through  the  native  portion  of 
the  city,  which  is  densely  populated,  and  was  much 
interested  in  what  I  saw  of  Hindu  life,  also  in  the 
Oriental  shops,  the  temples,  shrines  and  mosques, 
of  which  there  are  a  large  number. 

The  three  great  religions  in  India  are  Buddhism, 


Buddhism.  219 

Mohammedanism  and  Brahmanism.  Throughout 
twenty-two  centuries  the  Brahmans  have  been  the 
counselors  of  the  Hindu  princes,  and  the  teachers 
of  the  Hindu  people,  and  they  were  the  depository 
of  the  sacred  books,  the  philosophy,  the  science 
and  the  laws  of  the  ancient  Hindu  commonwealth. 
In  the  sixth  century  B.  C,  Buddha  appeared, 
and  gained  many  followers.  Buddhism  has  co- 
existed with  Brahmanism  for  more  than  a  thousand 
years.  As  a  religious  founder,  Buddha  left  behind 
him  a  creed  which  has  gained  more  disciples  than 
any  other  system  of  beliefs  in  the  world.  After  a 
lapse  of  2,400  years,  it  is  professed  by  500,000,000 
people,  or  more  than  one-third  of  the  human  race. 
Mohammedanism  was  born  in  Arabia  about  600  A. 
D  ,  and  soon  spread  over  a  vast  portion  of  country. 
It  never  gained  a  strong  foothold  in  Southern 
India,  but  had  many  followers  in  the  Northern 
portion  of  the  country.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the 
day  may  come  when  the  worship  of  idols  of  brass 
and  stone  will  be  discontinued. 

The  English,  on  assuming  the  government  of 
India,  determined  as  far  as  possible  to  administer 
justice  in  accordance  with  the  existing  laws  of  the 
country  ;  and,  so  long  as  the  various  religious  be- 
liefs do  not  conflict  with  justice  and  humanity,  they 
are  not  interfered  with.  There  are  many  mission- 
aries in  India  engaged  in  the  work  of  christianizing 
the  natives  ;  but,  when  you  ponder  on  the  fact  that 


220  Around  the  World. 

there  are  nearly  250,000,000  of  them  to  convert,  it 
looks  as  if  it  would  require  the  combined  forces  of 
the  whole  Christian  world,  and  as  if  scores  and 
scores  would  come  and  go  before  such  a  result 
would  be  accomplished.  The  press  and  the  rail- 
ways will  be  important  factors  in  the  work  of 
civilization. 

India  is  the  great  granary  of  Asia,  and  a  formi- 
dable rival  to  the  wheat  producers  of  California, 
and,  in  fact,  of  the  whole  United  States.  It  has 
been  conjectured  that  the  total  area  under  cultiva- 
tion to  wheat  in  India  is  equal  to  the  area  cultivated 
to  the  same  crop  in  the  United  States.  The 
quality  of  the  grain  is  high  enough  to  satisfy  the 
English  millers,  and  "Calcutta  Club  No.  1' 
commands  a  price  in  Mark  Lane  not  much  below 
that  of  the  finest  Californian  cr  Australian  wheat. 

Railway  communication  is  rapidly  extending  all 
over  India,  and  there  are  already  some  13,000 
miles  of  road  in  operation.  Tourists  can  now 
travel  by  rail  from  the  foot  of  the  Himalaya 
Mountains  to  the  southern  extremity  of  Cape 
Comorin.  India  has  four  great  rivers,  the  Indus, 
the  Ganges,  the  Irawadi  and  the  Brahmaputra,  all 
flowing  through  broad  valleys,  and  from  time  imme- 
morial the  chief  means  of  conveying  the  products 
of  the  interior  to  the  sea.  The  competition 
naturally  existing  between  river  craft  and  the  rail- 
roads   is    conducive  to  cheap    transportation.      In 


Transportation  of  Wheat.  221 

the  delta  of  the  Ganges  River,  navigation  attains  its 
highest  development.  The  population  may  be 
regarded  as  half  amphibious.  In  the  rainy  season, 
every  village  can  be  reached  by  water,  and  every 
family  keeps  its  own  boat. 

Since  the  construction  of  the  Suez  Canal,  the 
distance  from  Bombay  to  Liverpool  is  much  shorter 
than  from  San  Francisco  to  Liverpool  by  the  way 
of  Cape  Horn.  This  makes  a  difference  in  the 
cost  of  transportation,  and  wheat  can  be  carried 
from  India  to  England  much  cheaper  than  from 
San  Francisco  to  England.  This  has  a  correspond- 
ing effect  on  the  price.  Another  fact  in  favor  of 
our  Indian  rivals  is  that  the  Hindu  cheap  labor  can 
be  had  on  the  sea  as  well  as  on  the  land,  as  Indian 
sailors  can  be  employed  for  eight  rupees,  or  less 
than  four  dollars,  per  month.  However,  when  the 
Panama  Canal  is  finished,  the  tide  will  turn  in  our 
favor,  our  wheat  will  have  the  less  distance  to 
travel,  and  transportation  will  be  proportionately 
cheaper.  Vessels  passing  through  the  Suez  Canal 
have  to  pay  a  heavy  tax  on  the  cargo,  and,  under 
the  present  law,  they  are  required  to  anchor  over 
night.  This,  in  most  cases,  adds  one  day  more  to 
the  journey,  so  that,  when  everything  is  summed 
up,  and  we  get  our  canal,  the  tonnage  from  India 
to  Liverpool  will  not  be  so  much  lower,  after  all, 
than  from  California. 

In  addition  to  this,  a  California  farmer,  with  his 


222  Around  the  World. 

combined  harvester,  can  accomplish  more  work  in 
one  day  with  four  men  than  an  Indian  planter  can 
with  fifty  coolies,  using  the  present  rude  hand  im- 
plements. There  is  great  opposition  to  machinery 
in  India  ;  for  there  are  millions  of  laborers  strug- 
gling for  bread,  who  are  willing  to  work  for  almost 
nothing.  They  look  upon  a  machine  which  takes 
the  place  of  hand  labor  as  an  innovation  which 
deprives  them  of  a  livelihood.  The  producers  in 
the  Indian  agricultural  districts  are  neither  so 
grasping  nor  so  enterprising  as  our  average  Cali- 
fornia farmer,  and  are  satisfied  with  much  less. 
Everything  is  cheap ;  the  tropical  produce  and  the 
grain,  as  well  as  the  labor.  Planters  hire  coolies 
to  work  in  the  harvest  fields  at  a  sixpence  per  day 
apiece,  and  at  less  than  that  on  the  coffee  and  tea 
plantations  and  in  the  rice  fields.  In  the  Calcutta 
bag  factory,  wages  are  but  threepence  per  day. 

India  has  two  great  drawbacks.  One  is  that 
communication  with  the  interior  districts  is  often 
attended  with  great  difficulties.  As  the  railroads 
are  extending  their  lines  in  all  directions,  this  disa- 
bility will  soon  be  removed.  The  other  is  the  lia- 
bility to  drouth.  In  a  country  so  densely  settled 
as  India,  and  where  the  means  of  communication 
are  so  limited,  the  failure  of  a  harvest  must  always 
cause  much  distress.  India  lies  half  to  the  north 
and  half  to  the  south  of  the  tropic,  and,  excepting 
a  small  fractional  part  of  a  mountainous  character, 


Famines  in  India.  223 

is  subject  to  great  summer  heat.  Some  parts  are 
regularly  visited  by  rain  in  season,  and  other  parts 
are  liable  to  drouth.  One  season  of  drouth  is  gen- 
erally followed  by  another,  and  that  by  a  third. 

Out  of  thirty-one  famines  during  the  present 
century,  fifteen  succeeded  each  other  in  three,  and 
sixteen  in  two,  consecutive  years,  while  intervals 
between  them  varied  from  two  to  ten  years.  The 
country  has,  of  course,  always  been  subject  to  fam- 
ines ;  and  history  relates  how  in  1031  the  Emperor 
Shah  Jehan,  and  in  1631  the  Emperor  Aurungzebe, 
tried  to  mitigate  their  desolating  effects  without 
much  success.  Within  the  time  of  the  present 
generation  several  very  severe  famines  have  taken 
place.  From  the  year  1848  to  1878  the  abnormal 
deaths  which  occurred  in  years  of  famine  did  not 
fall  short  of  ten  millions.  It  cost  the  state,  to  re- 
lieve the  starving  population  during  this  period, 
not  less  than  21,250,000  pounds  sterling,  exclusive 
of  several  millions  in  loss  of  revenue.  Irrigation 
and  railways  have  done  much  to  remedy  the  evil. 

India  is  a  great  country,  and  possesses  a  great 
variety  of  resources.  British  India  has  a  total  area 
of  about  1,500,000  square  miles,  and  a  population 
of  240,000,000.  Of  the  area,  nearly  600,000  square 
miles,  with  a  population  of  50,000,000,  belong  to 
the  native  states  not  under  British  administration; 
while  the  remainder,  900,000  square  miles,  with 
190,000,000  people,  is  under  direct  British  rule. 


224  Around  the  World. 

As  my  journey  around  the  world  was  a  long  and 
somewhat  tortuous  one,  my  time  for  visiting  India 
was  soon  exhausted.  Had  I  been  satisfied  to  fol- 
low in  the  usual  track  of  travelers,  and  taken  the 
most  direct  route  to  China,  I  would  only  have  had 
to  travel  1,700  miles  in  going  from  Calcutta  to 
Hong-Kong;  but  I  was  ambitious  to  visit  Aus- 
tralia, though  by  going  in  this  roundabout  way  it 
lengthened  the  distance  something-  over  10,000 
miles.  I  wavered  a  little  when  I  thought  of  the 
long  and  monotonous  sea  voyage,  and  meditated 
on  the  fact  that  it  was  the  typhoon  season  of  the 
year.  Still,  by  taking  the  longer  route,  I  could 
visit  Australia  and  New  Zealand,  skirt  the  shores 
of  New  Guinea,  take  in  the  Philippine  Islands,  and 
see  the  extensive  coral  reefs  which  exist  in  the 
Southern  waters.  I  should  sail  over  many  seas, 
and  see  many  sights  that  would  be  missed  by  going 
the  other  way  ;  so  I  concluded  that  the  pleasures 
of  this  trip  would  overbalance  its  discomforts  ;  and, 
bidding  good-bye  to  my  friends  and  traveling  com- 
panions, as  they  were  going  to  continue  on  the 
direct  route  to  Hong-Kong,  I  promised,  if  the 
typhoon  did  not  get  the  best  of  me  on  the  China 
Sea  (this  sea  is  never  known  to  behave  itself),  to 
meet  them  there  some  time  in  the  future.  I  em- 
barked on  the  steamer  Enos  at  Calcutta  for 
Colombo,  a  distance  of  1,400  miles  over  the  Bay 
of  Bengal. 


The  Indian   Ocean.  225 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE  VOYAGE  OVER  THE  INDIAN  OCEAN. 

Colombo  is  the  junction  of  the  P.  and  O.  Steam- 
ship Company,  where  the  various  routes  diverge 
for  Australia,  China,  Japan  or  India.  On  leaving 
here,  we  had  a  sea  voyage  of  5,000  miles  before 
us  ere  we  could  reach  the  Australian  shore.  On 
account  of  the  extreme  heat  in  these  tropical  coun- 
tries, white  linen  clothes  are  worn  almost  entirely, 
and  heavy  clothing  is  of  very  little  use.  As  a  clean 
suit  is  needed  every  day,  one  has  to  have  a  plenti- 
ful supply.  So,  before  starting  out  on  my  journey, 
I  had  to  see  that  my  clothes  were  washed  and  in 
good  order  for  the  trip,  as  this  would  be  my  last 
opportunity  before  reaching  Australia.  This  wash- 
ing process  is  a  somewhat  interesting  one  to  look 
at,  but  very  hard  on  the  clothes.  Every  article 
undergoes  a  vigorous  pounding  with  a  long  stone, 
and,  if  the  garments  are  not  of  the  strongest  ma- 
terial, they  are  unable  to  stand  this  ordeal,  and 
new  ones  become  a  necessity.  The  expense  for 
washing,  however  (outside  of  the  wear  and  tear  of 
the  material),  is  of  small  consequence,  one  penny 
apiece  being  the  regular  price  charged  in  all  parts 
of  Asia  for  washing  and  ironing  shirts. 

It  may  here  again  be  mentioned  that  it  is  well 

15 


226  Around  the  World. 

for  tourists  to  be  careful  about  investing  in  finery 
or  curiosities  as  presents  for  their  friends,  as  such 
articles  are  all  subject  to  import  duty.  Packages 
containing  ammunition  a-nd  liquors  can  not  be 
shipped  as  baggage,  and  cases  of  these  articles 
must  be  accompanied  by  a  declaration  that  they 
contain  no  explosive  matter.  The  principal  lines 
making  monthly  trips  from  Europe  to  India  and 
China  are  the  P.  and  O.,  the  East  India  Steamship 
Company,  and  a  French  line  called  Messageries 
Maritimes.  These  are  all  reliable  and  popular 
lines,  and  make  regular  trips  and  connections  by 
the  way  of  Suez  and  the  Red  Sea ;  but  between 
Colombo  and  Australia  the  P.  and  O.  steamers  are 
the  ones  which  run  the  most  regularly. 

Two  days  out  from  Colombo  we  crossed  the  line 
of  the  Equator.  Here  we  felt  the  heat  intensely, 
especially  when  on  deck.  For  several  days  we  had 
the  eastern  trade  wind  against  our  course,  and  prog- 
ress was  slow,  250  miles  a  day  being  an  average 
run.  This  portion  of  the  Indian  Ocean  is  desti- 
tute of  islands  or  any  object  of  interest,  and  there 
is  nothing  to  be  seen  but  the  waste  of  waters,  and 
the  sky  overhead  ;  so  the  passengers  were  thrown 
entirely  upon  their  own  resources  for  amusement. 
At  dawn  of  day  we  generally  had  our  baths,  a  daily 
bath  being  an  absolute  necessity  in  this  warm 
climate.  A  custom  which  to  me  seemed  somewhat 
singular  prevails  on  steamers  which  sail  in  these 
waters.      In   the   early  morning  the   ship's   officers 


Crossing  the  Equator.  227 

and  the  passengers  promenade  the  hurricane  deck 
barefooted,  and  in  their  light  morning  clothes. 
They  do  this  in  order  to  get  the  full  benefit  of  the 
cool  morning  air  before  the  sun  rises.  They  keep 
up  a  lively  pace  for  about  half  an  hour,  and  then 
retire  below,  where  coffee  and  sandwiches  are  served. 
About  2  p.  m.  everybody  on  board,  except  the  sailors 
on  watch,  retire  to  their  rooms  for  an  hour's  sleep, 
and  at  four  o'clock  coffee  and  sandwiches  are  a^ain 
served.  In  addition  to  this,  we  had  the  regular 
meals  served  at  the  regular  hours. 

On  this  passage  we  had  on  board  a  jolly  lot  of 
Indian  planters,  from  whom  I  gained  much  valuable 
information  in  regard  to  terrace  farming,  the  tropi- 
cal staples  ;  seeding  and  harvesting,  and  the  cost 
of  each  ;  the  yearly  average  of  the  crops,  the  prin- 
cipal exports,  and  the  crops  from  which  the  largest 
returns  may  be  expected.  I  was  told  that  the  cul- 
tivation of  tea  must  largely  take  the  place  of  coffee  ; 
as,  next  to  wheat,  the  former  is  the  most  profitable 
staple  of  India.  Well,  what  you  don't  hear  aboard 
one  of  these  passenger  steamers  is  not  worth  hear- 
ing, as  you  mingle  with  pilgrims  of  every  clan  and 
from  every  land,  hearing  a  great  variety  of 
languages,  and  seeing  representatives  of  nearly 
every  industry  and  profession.  Every  day's  travel 
took  us  farther  away  from  the  Equator  ;  and,  with 
a  change  of  latitude,  came  a  perceptible  modifica- 
tion of  the  temperature,  making  the  remainder  of 
the  voyage  much  more  endurable  and  comfortable. 


228  Around  the  World. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

AUSTRALIA. 

After  we  had  been  out  twelve  days,  without  any 
especial  incident  to  record  except  the  head  wind 
and  the  extreme  heat,  we  sighted  Cape  Leeuwin, 
the  first  landmark  of  Australia;  and  on  the  thir- 
teenth day  we  cast  anchor  in  King  George's  Sound, 
a  distance  of  nearly  4,000  miles  from  Colombo. 
Here  wre  remained  twenty-four  hours,  which  gave 
us  all  an  opportunity  to  go  on  shore  and  try  terra 
firma  once  more.  We  were  all  very  much  tanned 
and  about  half  cooked  by  the  heat  of  the  tropics, 
and  quite  appreciated  the  change  after  being  tossed 
about  by  the  restless  deep  for  so  many  days.  The 
town  of  Albany,  on  King  George's  Sound,  has  a 
population  of  2,000,  all  Europeans.  This  town  is 
situated  on  the  southwestern  extremity  of  Australia, 
has  no  particular  object  of  interest  worthy  of  men- 
tion, and  is  surrounded  by  low,  barren  hills,  which 
appear  unfit  for  cultivation.  The  town  chiefly 
exists  upon  the  traffic  from  the  sea.  The  best 
feature  of  Kino-  George's  Sound  is  that  it  affords  a 

o  o 

commodious  and  secure  harbor,  which  could  accom- 
modate  a   much   larger   fleet   than    is  likely  to   be 


Australia.  229 

needed  to  guard  English  interests  and  subjects  in 
this  part  of  the  world. 

It  seemed  pleasant  indeed  to  be  in  a  civilized 
country,  and  see  white  people  once  more  instead 
of  the  dusky  heathen  we  had  left  behind  in  Egypt, 
Africa  and  India.  We  could  now  see  churches 
and  stores,  instead  of  idols,  shrines,  and  bazaars 
filled  with  trifles.  Here  were  to  be  seen  a  lar^e 
number  of  enterprising,  refined  and  well-dressed 
people,  instead  of  the  lazy  and  half-naked  Oriental 
races,  and  we  could  now  tread  on  wide  and  well- 
paved  streets  instead  of  narrow  and  filthy  Oriental 
lanes.  Here  we  could  hear  church  bells  rinoqna- 
out  the  summons  to  divine  worship,  instead  of 
witnessing  the  heathen  clapping  his  hands  and 
bowing  his  knees  before  temples  and  idols;  and 
we  all  enjoyed  very  much  the  life  and  bustle  inci- 
dent to  the  transaction  of  business  in  this  prosper- 
ous little  city  inhabited  by  a  civilized  people. 

Thus  far  the  greater  part  of  my  traveling  had 
been  done  on  English  steamships,  on  English 
possessions,  and  in  English  waters.  This  govern- 
ment seems  to  be  the  power  behind  the  throne  in 
nearly  all  quarters  of  the  globe.  Malta,  Aden, 
India,  Ceylon,  Australia,  Hong-Kong  and  many 
other  places  and  islands  are  in  the  hands  of  the 
British.  They  have  standing  armies  everywhere; 
their  flag  flies  on  every  sea,  and  from  men-of-war 
in   every  port ;   their  fortifications  are  numerous ; 


230  Around  the  World. 

and  their  soldiers  and  officers,  on  land  and  water, 
can  be  counted  by  the  million.  England  is  often 
called  the  "  Mistress  of  the  Seas,"  but  maintains 
this  supremacy  at  an  enormous  expense. 

Our  next  destination  was  Port  Adelaide,  1,000 
miles  distant  from  Albany.  We  soon  entered  the 
Great  Australian  Bight,  and  were  out  of  sight  of 
land  for  two  days.  After  three  days'  sailing,  we 
anchored  at  Port  Adelaide,  which  is  seven  miles 
distant  from  the  city  of  Adelaide,  and  were  put 
on  shore  by  a  steam  tender.  The  harbor  at  this 
port  is  safe  and  commodious  ;  but  there  is  a  bar  at 
its  mouth  which  prevents  large  vessels  from  enter- 
ing, the  depth  of  the  water  varying  with  the  tide 
from  eight  to  sixteen  feet.  With  a  few  exceptions, 
the  harbors  on  the  coast  of  Australia  are  shallow, 
which  is  a  great  drawback  to  the  prosperity  of 
many  of  the  seaports.  In  case  of  a  severe  gale, 
vessels  need  a  safe  harbor  where  they  will  not  be 
exposed  to  the  fury  of  wind  and  wave. 

Adelaide  is  a  beautiful  city,  situated  on  both 
sides  of  the  River  Torrens,  which  is  spanned  by 
several  bridges.  The  two  portions  of  the  town 
are  called  North  and  South  Adelaide.  South 
Adelaide  is  the  commercial  centre  of  the  town, 
and  lies  on  a  very  level  plain  on  the  left  bank  of 
the  river.  North  Adelaide,  the  smaller  portion  of 
the  town,  contains  the  chief  private  houses,  and 
occupies  a  gentle  slope  on  the  right  bank  of  the 


City  of  Adelaide.    ,  231 

river.  Adelaide  is  the  capital  of  the  British  colony 
of  South  Australia,  and  of  the  county  of  the  same 
name.  Its  streets  are  broad,  and  regularly  laid  out. 
Among  the  most  important  public  buildings  are 
the  Governor's  house,  the  government  offices,  the 
Post-Office  and  the  theatre.  The  principal  places 
worth  visiting  are  the  Botanical  Garden  and  the 
public  grounds,  called  the  Park  Lands,  which  con- 
tain over  1,900  acres. 

Australia  is  the  largest  island  in  the  world, — so 
large  that  it  is  often  called  a  continent.  It  is  2,500 
miles  in  length  from  east  to  west,  and  1,950  miles 
in  breadth  from  north  to  south,  contains  an  area  of 
about  3,000,000  square  miles,  and  has  a  seaboard  of 
8,000  miles.  As  it  is  situated  in  the  Southern 
Hemisphere,  the  seasons  are  just  the  reverse  of 
what  we  are  accustomed  to.  June  is  a  winter 
month,  and  crops  are  harvested  in  December  and 
January.  The  cities  in  Australia  are  of  modern 
construction,  and  similar  to  those  in  America. 
-  There  are  no  temples,  ruins  or  shrines,  and  the 
aborigines  of  this  country,  like  the  North  Ameri- 
can Indians,  live  in  rude  huts,  which  are  either 
bowers  formed  of  the  branches  of  the  trees,  or  are 
made  of  piled  logs  loosely  covered  with  grass  or 
bark.  In  the  southeastern  part  of  the  island  some 
of  the  huts  are  larger  and  more  substantial.  The 
numbers  of  the  native  Australians  are  steadily 
diminishino- ;  small  remnants  of  the  race  exist  in 


232  ^Around  the  World. 

each  province,  and  a  few  tribes  wander  over  the 
interior.  It  is  estimated  that  there  are  not  more 
than  80,000  of  these  aborigines  left  on  the  con- 
tinent. 

The  sea-coast,  except  on  the  northern  and  north- 
western shore,  is  wonderfully  devoid  of  inlets  from 
the  sea.  Along  the  entire  line  of  the  eastern 
coast  there  extends  a  succession  of  mountain 
ranges,  and  on  the  western  coast  there  is  a  series 
of  low-lying  hills.  Off  the  southern  coast  of 
Australia  the  waters  of  the  Indian  Ocean  com- 
mingle with  those  of  the  Pacific.  I  would  have 
needed  no  other  proof  than  this,  had  I  been  skep- 
tical on  the  subject,  to  convince  me  that  the  earth 
was  surely  round.  I  had  been  traveling  east  for 
many  months,  and  now  was  back  in  the  waters  of 
an  ocean  whose  waves  washed  the  shores  of  my 
home  in  the  far-off  West. 

From  Adelaide  to  Melbourne  is  a  distance  of 
550  miles,  which  can  be  traveled  either  by  rail  or 
steamer.  Melbourne  is  the  most  populous  city  in 
Australia,  and  is  situated  at  the  head  of  the  large 
bay  of  Port  Philip,  on  the  northern  bend,  which  is 
called  Hobson's  Bay.  The  spacious,  land-locked 
harbor  of  Port  Philip  was  discovered  in  1802,  by 
Lieutenant  Murray.  The  city  of  Melbourne  occu- 
pies a  space  three  miles  inland,  on  the  Yarrah 
River ;  but  the  suburbs  extend  along  the  shores  of 
the  bay  for  ten  miles. 


The   Typical  Cabman.  233 


The  entire  absence  of  guides  and  half-naked 
coolie  beggars  was  to  me  a  very  pleasant  change. 
Instead  of  being  surrounded  by  these  nuisances 
upon  my  arrival  at  the  depots  or  wharves,  I  was 
met  by  the  typical  English  cabman,  his  coat  glit- 
tering with  brass  buttons,  and  his  head  adorned 
with  a~  plug  hat.  He  was  indeed  a  gorgeous- 
looking  individual  as  he  sat  on  the  top  of  his  han- 
som, to  which  a  steed  of  the  Clyde  breed  was 
attached.  The  hansom  is  a  peculiar  conveyance. 
There  is  no  chance  for  quarreling  with  any  one 
while  riding,  as  the  coachman  sits  on  top,  and  there 
is  only  room  for  one  passenger  inside,  and  that* 
one  must  not  be  an  overgrown  one.  This  inside 
space  fitted  me  as  snugly  as  if  I  had  sent  my 
measure  ahead.  For  the  privilege  of  riding  in  one 
of  these  vehicles,  you  pay  the  sum  of  one  shilling 
per  mile,  if  you  make  your  bargain  beforehand ; 
if  not,  you  will  probably  have  to  pay  double  that 
amount.  Extortion  seems  to  be  the  rule  with  cab- 
men and  guides  of  all  races  and  colors,  and  in  the 
cities  of  all  countries,  from  San  Francisco  (travel- 
ing eastward)  to  the  shores  of  Japan. 

Melbourne  is  the  capital  of  the  colony  of  Vic- 
toria, and  is  the  most  populous  city  in  Australia, 
offering,  perhaps  without  exception,  the  most  strik- 
ing illustration  of  the  aptitude  of  the  Anglo-Saxon 
race  for  colonization.  Until  the  year  1835  no 
white  man  had  ever  made    his   habitation    there  ; 


(234) 


Melbourne.  235 

and  now  the  spot  where  the  first  settler  made  his 
home  in  the  wilderness  is  the  centre  of  a  great  city, 
which  is  ten  miles  in  length,  six  in  breadth,  covers 
an  area  of  45,000  acres,  and  has  a  population  of 
283,000  people.  This  city  is  beautifully  located. 
It  is  built  on  nearly  level  ground,  slightly  rising 
to  the  centre  from  every  direction,  giving  it  an 
easy  slope  for  drainage ;  consequently  it  is  a 
healthy  city  as  well  as  a  beautiful  one. 

At  present  there  is  a  strong  rivalry  between 
Melbourne  and  Sydney,  each  contending  for  the 
honor  of  being  the  chief  city  of  Australia.  Mel- 
bourne has  at  present  25,000  more  people  than 
Sydney,  and  Victoria  Colony  contains  some  of  the 
best  agricultural  land  in  Australia  ;  there  are  also 
extensive  sheep  ranges,  and  some  of  the  richest 
gold  mines  of  the  country,  in  the  vicinity  of  Mel- 
bourne. Sydney,  by  virtue  of  its  position,  is  prob- 
ably destined  to  be  the  greater  commercial  city  of 
the  two,  as  it  has  one  of  the  finest  and  most  spa- 
cious harbors  in  the  world.  The  surrounding 
country,  however,  is  not  so  rich  as  that  around 
Melbourne  ;  it  is  thickly  timbered,  too  hilly  to  be 
much  of  an  agricultural  country,  but  is  a  fine  pas- 
toral region,  and  affords  an  extensive  range  for 
cattle.  In  the  near  distance  is  situated  the  town 
of  Newcastle,  which  is  surrounded  by  extensive 
coal  fields.  The  quality  of  this  coal  is  said  to  be^ 
equal  to  that  of  Great  Britain  for  most  purposes, 


* 


236  Around  the  World. 

and  it  is  largely  used  by  steamships  navigating  the 
Pacific  and  Chinese  waters. 

I  have  become  so  interested  in  these  compari- 
sons, that  I  fear  I  am  digressing.  I  will  now  return 
to  Melbourne,  and  give  a  little  further  description 
of  the  city  and  its  surroundings.  The  climate  in 
the  vicinity  is  considered  unusually  fine.  The  only 
drawback  is  the  occasional  hot  winds,  which  blow 
from  the  north  for  two  or  three  days  at  a  time,  and 
raise  the  temperature  until  it  is  uncomfortably 
warm  ;  but  by  far  the  greater  proportion  of  the 
time  the  sky  is  clear  and  the  air  mild  and  dry.  On 
days  when  the  wind  blows,  I  have  seen  the  tem- 
perature vary  from  60  to  1  20  degrees.  I  had  my 
best  view  of  Melbourne  and  its  environs  from 
Flagstaff  Hill.  Its  numerous  suburbs  surrounded 
the  city  in  all  directions  ;  in  the  distance,  on  three 
sides,  were  ranges  of  hills,  and  on  the  fourth  the 
waters  of  Hobson  Bay  could  be  seen  sparkling  in 
the  sunlight. 

Notwithstanding  its  size,  Melbourne  is  by  no 
means  a  crowded  city  ;  the  streets  are  all  ninety- 
nine  feet  wide,  and  parks,  squares  and  gardens  are 
so  numerous  that  it  occupies  an  area  nearly  one- 
half  as  great  as  that  of  London.  The  two  princi- 
pal streets  are  Burke  and  Collins, — the  first  the 
busiest  street  in  Melbourne,  the  other  containing 
-.the  most  fashionable  shops.  The  buildings  which 
line  these  streets  are  of  uniform  height,  and  sub- 


Public  Buildings,  Parks  and  Gardens.       237 

stantially  built;  but  you  find  no  such  magnificent 
structures  as  can  be  seen  in  the  business  portion  of 
San  Francisco,  nor  does  there  seem  to  be  the  same 
amount  of  activity  and  bustle.  I  had  quite  an 
argument  on  this  subject  with  one  of  Melbourne's 
enterprising  citizens  who  had  been  deluding  him- 
self with  the  idea  that  his  city  was  far  ahead  of 
San  Francisco.  I  quietly  disabused  his  mind  of 
this  idea,  and  informed  him  that  it  would  have  to 
grow  with  all  its  might  for  the  next  twenty-five 
years  before  it  would  be  as  far  advanced  as  our 
Metropolis  of  the  Golden  West. 

Among  the  objects  of  interest  to  be  seen  in  Mel- 
bourne are  monuments  of  Burke  and  Collins,  two 
of  Australia's  most  famous  explorers  ;  the  barracks, 
the  Parliament  Houses,  the  Custom  House,  and 
the  Town  Hall,  which  will  seat  rfearly  3,000  peo- 
ple. In  this  hall  is  a  colossal  organ,  on  which  the 
city  organist  performs  two  afternoons  in  each  week, 
the  public  being  admitted  at  a  nominal  charge. 
The  parks  and  public  gardens  are  extensive  and 
handsome.  The  Royal  Park  contains  about  600 
acres,  and  is  timbered  with  gum  trees.  About 
thirty  acres  in  the  centre  of  this  park  are  beauti- 
fully laid  out,  and  contain  a  zoological  collection. 
The  Yarrah  Park,  which  is  about  300  acres  in  extent, 
contains  the  leading  cricket  grounds.  Want  of 
space  will  prevent  me  from  elaborating  further  on 
interesting  features  of  Melbourne. 


238  Around  the  World. 

I  then  visited  the  western  portion  of  the  col- 
ony of  Victoria,  and  saw  some  good  agricultural 
country.  Here  the  wheat  is  harvested  with  strip- 
pers of  three-horse  power  ;  but  larger  machines 
are  in  course  of  construction.  By  these  machines 
the  wheat  is  stripped  of  the  heads.  On  the  long 
stubble  which  remains,  vast  numbers  of  sheep  are 
pastured,  and  they  are  often  brought,  for  this  pur- 
pose, a  distance  of  several  hundred  miles  from 
the  interior.  Great  attention  is  paid  to  sheep 
farming,  as  this  is  one  of  the  leading  industries  of 
Australia.  The  price  of  labor  I  found  to  be  much 
the  same  as  in  California,  six  shillings,  or  $1.50, 
per  day,  being  the  usual  wages  paid  in  the  harvest 
season. 

The  two  principal  inland  towns  were  Sandhurst 
and  Belrat.  Sandhurst  is  built  on  the  exhausted 
part  of  the  old  gold  fields  of  Bendigo.  Besides 
gold  mining,  there  are  quite  a  number  of  local 
industries,  including  coach  building,  brewing  and 
iron  casting.  There  are  nearly  7,000  miners  em- 
ployed in  the  Sandhurst  district.  Belrat  has  181 
mines,  some  of  them  1,000  feet  deep;  and  one  in 
particular,  known  as  the  Pandora,  is  2,000  feet 
deep.  If  the  Pacific  coast  wants  to  beat  those 
figures,  I  am  afraid  she  will  have  to  cross  the 
Sierras  to  the  Comstock,  in  Nevada.  Silverton  is 
the  principal  town  in  the  dividing  range,  or  barrier, 
where  there  are  rich  silver  mines.     The  Belrat  and 


SJiecp  Farming.  239 

Hillman  districts  contain  the  richest  mines  in  the 
colonies.  Millions  of  pounds  of  the  precious  ore 
have  been  taken  from  these  mines,  and  they  are 
still  worked  at  a  great  profit  by  the  fortunate 
owners. 

After  inspecting  the  gold  fields,  I  visited  some  of 
the  sheep  plains,  or  sheep  runs,  where  they  count 
their  flocks  by  the  hundreds  of  thousands.  I  was 
told  that  these  sheep  runs  contain  from  thirty  to  a 
hundred  thousand  acres,  and  this  amount  of  land 
is  generally  owned  and  controlled  by  one  man. 
Many  of  these  runs  I  found  to  be  rocky,  and,  with 
the  exception  of  the  timber,  apparently  barren  of 
vegetation.  It  seemed  to  me  that  there  were  two 
sheep  to  every  blade  of  grass.  This  Australian 
grass  must  be  exceedingly  nutritious,  or  such  a 
multitude  of  sheep  could  not  manage  to  subsist. 
However,  at  the  time  that  I  visited  Australia,  there 
had  been  four  dry  seasons  in  succession,  and  all 
kinds  of  stock  were  in  a  starving  condition,  partic- 
ularly in  New  South  Wales  and  Queensland,  where 
the  water-courses  had  run  dry.  In  fact,  most  of 
the  inland  Australian  streams  dry  up  early  in  the 
season,  as  there  are  no  rainy  regions  or  snow-clad 
mountains  in  the  interior  to  feed  the  rivers. 
Drouths  are  of  common  occurrence,  and  the  rain- 
fall is  very  light,  probably  owing  to  the  low,  flat 
character  of  the  country,  and  the  scarcity  of  high 
mountain  peaks  along  the  coast  to  condense  the 


240  Around  the  World. 

rain  clouds,  which  are  consequently  blown  across 
the  country  without  distilling  their  moisture.  I 
heard  the  question  of  constructing  reservoirs,  to 
catch  the  water  in  the  rainy  season,  discussed  in 
many  districts.  In  Texas  they  have  cisterns  for 
rain  water,  and  catch  all  they  can,  keeping  it  to  use 
in  time  of  drouth 

The  interior  of  Australia  I  found  to  be  thickly 
timbered  with  large  gum  trees,  the  majority  of 
them  destitute  of  leaves,  and  some  of  bark.  In 
many  places  they  were  ringed,  and  left  to  die  and 
rot  down.  This  was  to  make  openings  for  farmers, 
probably  for  another  generation,  when  the  heavens 
will  distribute  moisture  with  a  more  liberal  hand 
than  at  present.  However  interested  I  may  have 
been  in  some  of  the  resources  of  Australia,  I  was 
not  favorably  impressed  with  it  as  an  agricultural 
country,  not  only  on  account  of  the  frequency  of 
the  dry  seasons,  but  because  of  the  character  of 
the  soil,  which  is  red  and  rolling,  and  has  the  ap- 
pearance of  being  heavy  to  cultivate.  It  looked  to 
me  as  if  farming  with  the  expectation  of  raising  a 
profitable  crop  would  be  very  much  like  buying  the 
cat  in  the  bag.  I  found,  however,  that  the  Aus- 
tralian residents  who  had  never  been  in  any  other 
great  wheat-producing  country  looked  on  the  mat- 
ter in  an  entirely  different  light,  and  from  a  more 
favorable  point  of  view.  Probably  I  was  not  an 
unprejudiced  observer,  as  I  had  been  for  so  many 


Various  Resources.  241 

years  a  farmer  in  California,  a  country  in  which 
crops  of  all  kinds  grow  to  the  acme  of  perfection. 
I  also  visited  several  stock  farms.  I  found  the 
cattle  to  be  of  enormous  size,  but  was  not  favorably 
impressed  with  the  appearance  of  the  horses,  which, 
to  my  mind,  were  disproportionately  formed, 
although  they  were  said  to  be  descendants  of  the 
famous  Clydesdale  stock. 

Take  it  all  in  all,  Australia  is  a  great  and  pro- 
gressive country,  and  has  a  glorious  prospect  in 
the  near  future.  Her  resources  are  many  and  vari- 
ous, and,  where  she  is  inferior  in  one  branch  of  in- 
dustry, she  has  others  which  more  than  compensate 
for  the  difference.  Australia  is  the  greatest  wool- 
growing  country  in  the  world,  and  has  more  coast 
line  than  any  other.  Her  commercial  interests  are 
enormous,  her  coal  fields  are  inexhaustible,  and  she 
is  rich  in  minerals  of  every  description.  Copper, 
tin,  antimony,  mercury,  platina,  bismuth,  iron, 
galena,  quicksilver  and  shale,  which  yields  kerosene 
oil,  are  all  found  in  Australia,  and  she  is  second 
only  to  the  United  States  in  the  extent  of  her  gold 
and  silver  mines.  In  the  last  few  years  pearl  fish- 
ing has  become  quite  an  industry  in  Australian 
seas,  and  has  been  carried  on  with  considerable 
success.  Good  pearls  are  found  in  Shark's  Bay, 
especially  in  an  inlet  called  Useless  Harbor;  mother 
of  pearl  shells  are  fished  at  many  points  along  the 
western  coast,  and  an  important  pearl  fishery  has 

16 


242  Around  the  World. 

been  established  in  Torres  Strait,  on  the  coast  of 
Oueensland. 

After  thoroughly  acquainting  myself  with  the 
resources  of  Victoria  Colony,  I  returned  to  Mel- 
bourne, where  I  took  the  train  for  Sydney,  the 
second  largest  city  in  Australia,  and  the  capital  of 
New  South  Wales.  The  distance  between  these 
two  cities  is  575  miles;  the  railway  fare,  four 
pounds,  or  about  twenty  dollars  ;  the  time  occupied 
in  the  journey,  twenty-two  hours.  The  railway 
system  in  the  southern  hemisphere  is  on  the  same 
plan  as  that  of  Europe  and  India.  I  can  never 
cease  to  express  my  contempt  for  the  construction 
of  the  cars, — the  same  inconvenient,  uncomfort- 
able compartments,  where  there  is  scarcely  room 
enough  to  swing  a  cat.  Here  eight  passengers  are 
wedged  in,  the  door  locked,  and  we  are  left  with- 
out water  or  conveniences  of  any  kind  until  we 
arrive  at  the  stations,  which  in  this  country  are 
often  few  and  far  between,  as  the  road  runs 
through  new  and  remote  districts.  I  suppose  I 
will  again  have  to  admit  that  I  am  prejudiced  in 
favor  of  the  American  system,  which  I  consider 
the  most  luxurious  mode  of  traveling  in  the  world. 
In  these  cars,  which  are  much  larger  and  more 
comfortable,  the  proud,  brass-buttoned  conductor 
reigns  supreme  ;  you  can  take  items  on  the  physi- 
ognomy of  a  hundred  people  if  you  so  desire, 
instead  of  half  a  dozen  ;  you  have  a  stove  to  keep 


Paying  for  Learning.  243 

you  warm  in  winter,  and  ice  water  to  cool  your 
parched  throat  in  summer  ;  and  the  windows  are 
so  constructed,  that,  if  you  feel  disposed,  you  can 
raise  them  and  put  your  head  out  to  view  the 
heavens  or  any  earthly  object. 

In  Eastern  countries  you  are  always  surrounded, 
on  arriving  at  stations,  by  porters  who  are  always 
more  than  willing  to  anticipate  your  wants,  and 
who  desire  to  be  remunerated  accordingly.  If  the 
tourist  does  not  wish  to  pay  for  learning  their 
sharp  practices,  as  I  have  done,  he  will  give  them 
a  few  pence,  and  they,  in  return,  will  lift  their  hats, 
favor  you  with  a  low  bow  and  a  sickly  smile,  and 
let  you  depart  in  peace,  while  they  stand  in  wait 
for  the  next  victim.  In  Australia,  as  in  Europe, 
young  women  superintend  the  bars  and  lunch 
counters,  and,  at  the  large  stations,  seven  or  eight 
of  these  blushing  damsels  can  be  seen  busily  en- 
gaged in  attending  to  the  wants  of  the  hungry 
and  thirsty  travelers.  The  price  of  a  glass  of  ale 
or  a  cup  of  coffee  is  threepence,  and  sandwiches 
are  furnished  in  proportion  to  the  appetite  of  the 
individual. 

There  is  very  little  agricultural  land  on  the  route 
between  Melbourne  and  Sydney  ;  but  there  is  a 
large  extent  of  country  where  coal  abounds,  and 
the  greater  portion  of  the  remainder  is  devoted  to 
grazing  purposes.  While  travelirig  over  this  road, 
I  talked  with  a  stockman  who  owned  100,000  head 


244  Around  the  World. 

of  sheep,  which  were  stationed  in  different  places 
on  his  run.  In  New  South  Wales  the  coal-bearing 
strata  cover  a  very  large  area  in  several  detached 
portions,  the  largest  of  which  probably  exceeds 
12,000  miles.  In  the  vicinity  of  Newcastle,  where 
the  principal  workings  are,  the  coal  seams  vary 
from  three  to  thirty  feet  in  thickness,  sixteen  seams 
above  three  feet  beino-  known.  It  is  estimated 
that  the  coal  strata  in  Oueensland  cover  an  area  of 
24,000  square  miles.  Very  little  has  been  done 
toward  their  development,  the  districts  in  which 
they  occur  being  too  far  from  the  settled  portions 
of  the  country. 

This  route  is  not  diversified  enough  to  be  pictur- 
esque, and  is  entirely  devoid  of  attractive  scenery. 
There  are  no  mountains  and  dales,  the  country  is 
low,  and  in  many  places  the  soil  is  stony.  There 
are  very  few  high  mountain  peaks  in  Australia,  the 
highest  being  Mount  Kosciusko,  which  has  an  alti- 
tude of  over  6,000  feet.  The  principal  attraction 
aloncj  the  line  of  this  road  was  the  dried  gum 
trees  which  dotted  the  country,  some  of  them  of 
immense  size.  The  gum  trees  form  the  principal 
timber  of  Australia.  There  are  400  species  of 
eucalyptus,  or  gum;  the  blue,  the  red,  the  white,  the 
spotted,  etc.  They  grow  to  an  immense  size,  and 
live  to  be  many  hundred  years  old.  The  most  of 
them  shed  their  bark  instead  of  their  leaves,  and 
some  have  neither  leaves  nor  bark.      Other  species 


Sydney.  245 

of  timber  are  the  white  box,  the  iron  bark,  rose- 
wood, sandalwood,  tulip-wood  and  satin-wood. 
These  latter  are  used  by  cabinet  makers  for  orna- 
mental work. 

Sydney,  the  capital  of  New  South  Wales,  is  a 
bustling  commercial  city,  situated  on  rolling  hills 
similar  to  those  on  which  Rome  is  built.  It  lies 
on  the  harbor  of  Port  Jackson,  about  four  miles 
from  its  entrance.  This  harbor  is  completely 
landlocked,  and  the  largest  vessels  can  come  close 
to  the  wharves,  thus  saving  much  inconvenience  in 
loading  and  unloading  vessels,  and  in  transferring- 
passengers  from  the  ship  to  the  shore.  For  my 
part,  I  can  cheerfully  dispense  with  the  little  row 
boat  which  is  used  to  convey  passengers  from  the 
ship's  side  to  the  landing,  as  I  do  not  enjoy  the 
drenching  which  one  is  frequently  treated  to  in  this 
process  of  transportation  The  extensive  dry 
docks  and  ship  yards  at  Sydney  furnish  every 
facility  for  repairing  vessels.  The  port  is  well 
defended  by  several  forts  and  batteries.  The  har- 
bor is  very  attractive,  being  fourteen  miles  long; 
and  the  coast  very  irregular,  with  numerous  small 
bays  and  promontories,  which  render  it  very  pic- 
turesque. 

This  bay  was  discovered  and  the  town  of  Sydney 
founded  in  i  788  ;  but  for  twenty-five  years  the  set- 
tlers of  the  colony  of  New  South  Wales  were  only 
acquainted  with  a  strip  of  country  fifty  miles  wide, 


246  Around  the  World. 

between  the  Blue  Mountains  and  the  sea-coast ;  for 
they  scarcely  ever  ventured  far  inland  from  the 
inlets  of  Port  Jackson  and  Botany  Bay.  The 
climate  of  Sydney  is  salubrious  ;  more  rain  falls 
here  than  in  the  southern  colonies.  It  has  a  popu- 
lation of  about  250,000,  mostly  Europeans,  the 
greater  proportion  of  them  being  English  immi- 
grants. These  immigrants  are  constantly  pouring 
into  the  Australian  colonies.  Every  steamerwhich 
arrives  from  England  is  filled  with  people  who  are 
seeking  home  and  fortune  in  this  far-off  country. 
With  the  constantly  increasing  facilities  for  travel, 
every  quarter  of  the  globe  will  soon  cease  to  be 
remote. 

A  new  land  act  has  recently  been  passed  which 
is  intended  to  enable  immigrants  to  settle  on  small 
pieces  of  land,  and  to  give  them  ample  time  to  pay 
for  their  farms,  but  to  discourage  and  prevent  the 
acquisition  of  large  pastoral  estates.  Out  of 
17,000,000  acres  settled  under  the  old  law,  only 
3,000,000  are  in  the  hands  of  bona-fide  settlers. 
The  remaining  14,000,000  are  in  the  hands  of  the 
sheep  kings.  By  having  all  the  favorable  spots 
that  give  access  to  water  taken  up  by  his  servants 
and  tools,  the  squatter  becomes  practically  the 
owner  of  his  rim,  which  he  can  extend  to  any  limit 
in  the  same  way.  By  this  fraudulent  device,  great 
estates  of  hundreds  of  square  miles  have  been 
acquired. 


Public  Buildings  and  the  Suburbs.         247 


"S 


The  loftiest  eminence  in  Sydney  is  Flagstaff 
Hill,  where  a  magnificent  view  can  be  had  of  the 
city,  its  suburbs  and  the  harbor ;  and  one  can  even 
see  the  Pacific  Ocean.  Among  the  principal  attrac- 
tions in  this  city  are  the  Government  buildings, 
with  their  extensive  ornamental  grounds.  From 
this  point  the  north  shore  and  the  Balmain  can  be 
seen  to  good  advantage.  Macguire  street  is  lined 
by  rows  of  fine  residences  on  one  side,  and  by  gov- 
ernment property  on  the  other,  is  a  favorite  prom- 
inade,  and  one  of  the  gayest  thoroughfares  in  the 
city.  The  Museum,  the  Public  Library,  St.  Mary's 
Cathedral,  and  the  City  Infirmary  are  all  extensive 
institutions.  In  the  suburbs  are  the  City  Park,  the 
Zoological  and  Botanical  Gardens  and  Belmore 
Park,  all  interesting  places  to  visit.  One  thing 
that  struck  me  peculiarly  is  the  fact  that  the  flowers, 
both  the  cultivated  varieties  and  the  wild  flowers, 
seem  to  be  entirely  devoid  of  fragrance. 

The  most  aristocratic  quarter  is  Potts'  Point  and 
Vermalon,  where  the  residences  may  be  considered 
a  good  second  to  those  on  Nob  Hill,  in  San  Fran- 
cisco. The  most  opulent  citizens  of  Australia  re- 
side here.  The  leading  hotels  are  the  Pettis  Hotel 
and  the  Royal,  in  St.  George  street,  where  you 
can  get  fair  meals  and  a  good  bed  for  twelve 
shillings  a  day.  Pitt  street  and  St.  George  street, 
the  main  thoroughfares  of  the  city,  have  a  carriage- 
way sixty  feet  wide,  and  are  lined  with  handsome 


248  Around  the  World. 

shops  and  churches  and  other  public  and  private 
edifices.  Business  of  every  description  is  transacted, 
and,  from  seven  in  the  morning  until  eleven  at 
night,  they  are  thronged  with  people. 

New  South  Wales  was  for  many  years  a  penal 
settlement,  and  the  agitation  on  this  subject  has 
been  the  only  serious  cause  of  conflict  between  the 
colony  and  the  mother  country.  It  ended  by  the 
latter  yielding,  and  transportation  was  somewhat 
reluctantly  abolished.  Sydney  is  well  situated  to 
control  the  commerce  of  the  Southern  Pacific 
Ocean,  occupying  a  position  corresponding  to  that 
of  San  Francisco  on  the  Northern  Pacific.  It  has 
a  large  inter-colonial  trade,  and  also  carries  on  an 
extensive  commerce  with  the  United  States.  It  is 
destined,  by  virtue  of  its  situation,  to  become  one 
of  the  great  seaports  of  the  world. 

My  next  move  was  from  Sydney  to  Paramatta,  a 
town  thirteen  miles  distant,  on  the  Paramatta 
River.  This  was  an  exceedingly  pleasant  trip,  as 
it  gave  me  an  opportunity  of  viewing  the  pictur- 
esque scenery  of  the  harbor,  the  islands,  and  the 
beautiful  gardens  on  the  Paramatta  River.  Para- 
matta is  an  old  town,  and  of  little  importance. 
Here  I  took  the  cars  for  the  Blue  Mountains,  in 
the  neighborhood  of  which  the  grandest  scenery  of 
Australia  is  found.  The  railroad  which  runs  over 
these  mountains  is  called  the  Zigzag  Railway,  and  is 
constructed  on  the  plan  of  the  letter  N.     The  first 


The  Blue  Mountain  Zigzags.  249 

zigzag,  called  the  Little  Zigzag,  is  thirty-five  miles 
from  the  Big-  Zigzag.  The  cars  travel  backward 
and  forward  before  completing  the  ascent  of  the 
mountain,  which  is  called  the  Lapstone  Hill.  The 
scenery  is  grandly  picturesque,  and  would  do  credit 
to  the  Alps.  From  this  hill  we  could  look  over 
the  broad  valleys  into  deep  gulches,  and  could  fol- 
low with  our  eyes  the  windings  of  the  rivers.  I 
must  not  neglect  to  mention,  that,  in  this  zigzag,  a 
terrible  railroad  accident  occurred  six  years  ago  ; 
two  trains  collided,  and  many  passengers  were 
killed. 

After  arriving  at  the  summit,  we  followed  a 
broken  chain  of  mountains  for  many  miles.  All 
along  the  line  of-  the  road  the  country  is  thickly 
timbered,  and  to  the  left  we  could  see  far  down 
into  the  valley  at  the  foot  of  the  mountains.  The 
most  elevated  points  on  this  route  were  Mount 
Ketoomba,  which  rises  to  a  height  of  3,349  feet 
above  the  sea-level ;  Went  Falls,  situated  at  an 
altitude  of  2,856  feet ;  and  Mount  Victoria,  which  is 
3,422  feet  high.  This  elevated  region  is  a  popular 
resort  for  Sydney  people,  who  come  up  here  a  few 
weeks  in  December,  when  the  heat  is  most  intense, 
to  cool  off.  The  climate  is  said  to  be  so  healthful, 
that,  except  in  case  of  accidents,  people  never  die. 
Continuing  our  journey  eastward,  we  soon  arrive 
at  the  Big  Zigzag.  This  is  constructed  on  a  steep 
incline  of  800  feet,  in  the  form  of  two    N's.     On 


250  Around  the  World. 

emerging  from  one  of  the  tunnels  through  which 
we  pass,  we  overlook  five  tracks,  running  nearly 
parallel  with  each  other.  In  addition  to  the 
beauties  of  the  scenery,  there  are  numerous  caves 
which  the  tourist  can  visit.  Of  these  the  Imperial 
Cave  is  the  most  important,  and  the  most  fre- 
quented by  visitors. 

After  rusticating  a  few  days  in  the  Blue  Mount- 
ains, I  crossed  over  to  Burke,  and  enjoyed  the 
hospitality  of  the  people  in  the  interior  of  New 
South  Wales.  Then,  having  seen  all  I  cared  to  of 
the  inland  sights,  I  recrossed  the  mountains  to 
Sydney.  The  principal  resources  in  the  Blue  Mount- 
ains are  the  hunting  grounds  and  the  vast  coal 
fields,  which  extend  over  a  space  of  200  miles  to 
Newcastle.  I  was  now  fully  convinced  that  the 
Southern  Hemisphere  had  at  least  one  wonder 
which  could  compare  with  the  Yellowstone  Park, 
the  Alleghanies,  Yosemite,  Switzerland,  or  the 
Kandy  Mountains,  in  Ceylon, — places  which  should 
be  visited  by  all  who  wish  to  make  a  thorough  tour 
of  the  globe,  no  matter  how  much  pressed  for  time. 


New  Zealand.  251 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


NEW    ZEALAND. 


Before  leaving  for  China,  I  concluded  to  visit 
New  Zealand,  1,281  miles  distant  from  Sydney,  so 
embarked  on  the  regular  mail  packet  Oakland. 
New  Zealand  consists  of  two  large  islands,  called 
respectively  North  Island  and  South  Island,  of 
another  smaller  one  called  Stewart  Island,  and  of  a 
number  of  smaller  islands  and  islets.  New  Zealand 
was  discovered  by  a  Dutch  navigator  in  1642  ;  but 
he  did  not  land  there.  Captain  Cook,  in  1769,  was 
the  first  European  who  set  foot  on  its  shores.  He 
visited  the  country  several  times,  and  circumnavi- 
gated the  coast  in  the  course  of  his  three  voyages 
of  discovery,  exploring  and  partly  surveying  the 
general  outline.  He  introduced  several  useful  ani- 
mals and  plants,  including  pigs,  fowls,  potatoes, 
turnips  and  cabbages.  From  Captain  Cook's  final 
departure,  in  1777,  until  18 14,  little  is  known  of 
the  country,  except  that,  owing  to  the  cannibalism 
and  ferocity  of  the  natives,  it  was  a  terror  to 
sailors. 

In  1 8 14  a  church  mission  was  established  at  the 
Bay  of  Islands,  which  was  followed  by  others,  and 


252  Around  the  World. 

both  Protestant  and  Roman  Catholic  Missions 
were  formed.  In  the  course  of  the  following  thirty 
years  the  entire  native  population  was  converted, 
nominally  at  least,  to  Christianity.  There  was,  of 
course,  in  after  years  a  considerable  relapse  ;  but 
cannibalism  ceased,  and  the  barbarous  nature  of 
the  race  became  softened,  and  capable  of  civiliza- 
tion ;  so,  as  a  whole,  the  results  of  the  missionary 
teaching  were  great  and  permanent. 

The  Islands  of  New  Zealand  have,  since  1840, 
been  a  colony  of  Great  Britain.  It  was  not  colo- 
nized in  the  usual  manner,  around  one  common 
centre  ;  but  there  were  formerly  six  distinct  settle- 
ments,— Auckland,  Wellington,  Canterbury,  New 
Plymouth,  Nelson  and  Otago.  For  some  years 
communication  between  them  was  irregular  and  in- 
frequent. Three  provinces  are  each  subdivided 
into  counties.  The  residence  of  the  Governor  is 
at  Wellington,  which  is  the  seat  of  government. 
The  government  and  Legislature  have  always  been 
disposed  to  favor  native  interests,  the  right  of  the 
natives  to  their  lands  have  always  been  fully  recog- 
nized, and  no  land  has  been  taken  from  them  with- 
out their  consent,  except  in  the  case  of  some  con- 
fiscated lands  which  were  taken  under  the  authority 
of  a  special  law  from  rebellious  tribes. 

The  Governor  is  appointed  by  the  Crown.  The 
Legislative  Council,  or  upper  house,  consists  of 
fifty  members  who  are  appointed    for  life  by  the 


Government  and  Education.  253 

Governor.  The  House  of  Representatives  consists 
of  ninety-five  members  elected  by  the  people. 
Four  members  of  the  House  must  be  Maoris, 
elected  by  their  own  race,  and  they  arc  also  en- 
titled to  several  members  in  the  Council.  The 
duration  of  the  House  is  for  three  years;  but  it  is 
subject  to  re-election  whenever  the  Governor  dis- 
solves the  assembly.  Education  is  free  and  com- 
pulsory, with  certain  exceptions,  for  children  be- 
tween the  aees  of  seven  and  thirteen.  Religion  is 
not  allowed  to  be  taught  in  any  of  the  schools. 

The  country  is,  to  a  great  extent,  mountainous, 
but  is  interspersed  with  fertile  valleys  and  exten- 
sive plains,  where  prosperous  farms  can  be  seen 
growing  crops  of  wheat  and  grain  of  all  kinds. 
Hops  are  extensively  raised  in  the  Province  of 
Nelson,  which  is  frequently  called  the  Garden  of 
New  Zealand.  Drouths  are  almost  unknown  in 
these  colonies,  and  rain  is  frequent.  In  the  North 
the  greater  amount  falls  during  the  winter  ;  in  the 
South  it  is  more  equally  distributed  throughout 
the  year.  Almost  every  valley  and  plain  is  well 
watered  by  streams  flowing  from  the  mountains. 
There  are  countless  streams  of  the  purest  water 
in  New  Zealand,  but  very  few  rivers  of  any  depth 
or  size.  In  the  Canterbury  districts  are  large  runs, 
or  stations,  where  hundreds  of  thousands  of  sheep 
are  reared.  Here  also  can  be  seen  vast  herds  of 
cattle  and  horses,  which  seem  to  be  roaming  at  will. 


254  Around  the  World. 

Gold  is  found  in  all  parts ;  but  the  principal 
quartz  mines  are  in  the  Thames  and  Coromandel 
districts,  near  Auckland,  in  the  North  Island. 
Gold  is  also  found  in  the  river  beds  and  on  the 
sea-coast,  where  it  can  be  worked  with  comparative 
ease.  Good  coal  is  obtained  in  many  parts  of 
New  Zealand,  particularly  on  the  west  coast  of  the 
South  Island.  There  are  also  rich  copper  mines 
near  Nelson,  which  are  beginning  to  attract  atten- 
tion. Building  stone  of  various  kinds  and  of 
excellent  quality  abounds.  The  principal  articles 
of  export  are  wheat,  wool,  barley,  oats,  flax,  hops, 
gum  and  gold.  The  industry  of  freezing  and 
shipping  mutton  has  lately  been  entered  into  with 
great  success.  Kauri  gum,  a  valuable  product  of 
the  kauri  tree,  found  in  the  soil  on  the  sites  of  old 
kauri  forests,  and  at  the  foot  of  growing  trees,  is 
much  used  in  Europe  and  America  as  a  base  for 
fine  varnishes.    Fruit  of  every  description  abounds. 

The  scenery  is  very  picturesque.  The  mountains 
in  the  North  Island  occupy  about  one-tenth  of  the 
surface,  and  are  thickly  covered  with  timber.  Mount 
Ruapehu  and  Mount  Egmont  are  extinct  volcanoes. 
Mount  Tongariro  is  occasionally  active.  In  the 
South  Island  nearly  four-fifths  of  the  surface  is 
covered  by  mountains,  the  greater  part  of  them 
open,  covered  with  grass,  and  well  adapted  for 
pasture.  The  Southern  Alps  run  close  to  the  west 
coast  the  whole  length  of  the  island.     Mount  Cook, 


Scenery —  Varieties  of  Birds.  255 

which  is  over  12,000  feet  high,  is  the  highest  peak, 
and  has  many  glaciers.  The  main  range  of  these 
mountains  is  crossed  at  intervals  by  low  passes. 
On  the  eastern  side  are  extensive  agricultural  plains, 
and  the  western  slopes  are  rich  in   mineral  wealth. 

On  the  southwestern  coast  are  several  sounds 
which  are  surrounded  by  snow-capped  mountains 
rising  from  5,000  to  10,000  feet  in  height.  The 
scenery  is  grand,  especially  in  the  vicinity  of  Mil- 
ford  Sound.  There  are  also  numerous  cascades 
and  waterfalls  in  this  section,  one  of  which  is  800 
feet  in  height.  In  the  Province  of  Auckland,  on 
the  North  Island,  are  some  famous  geysers  and 
sulphur  springs,  which  are  much  visited  by  tourists 
and  sight-seers.  The  waters  are  warm,  transparent, 
and  of  a  beautiful  blue  color,  and  are  supposed  to 
contain  wonderful  curative  power  for  tubercular 
diseases,  rheumatism  and  nervous  affections. 

New  Zealand  abounds  in  birds  peculiar  to  that 
country  alone,  and  is  particularly  remarkable  for 
its  wingless  birds.  There  are  four  species  of  kiwi. 
These  birds  are  a  little  larger  than  a  hen  ;  they  are 
without  wings  or  tail  feathers,  have  bills  like  a 
snipe,  short  legs,  and  are  covered  with  long  brown 
feathers  which  resemble  hair.  The  kuku  is  a 
species  of  owl,  and  is  called  by  the  settlers  "  More 
Pork,"  because  its  cry  resembles  those  words.  Par- 
rots are  abundant.  Great  numbers  of  kaka,  a 
large  brown  parrot,   assemble   both  morning  and 


256  Around  the  World. 

evening  on  berry-bearing  trees,  and  utter  discordant 
screams,  which  among  the  natives  serve  as  a  signal 
for  the  beginning  and  ending  of  the  day's  labor. 
The  kea,  another  native  bird,  has  of  late  years 
developed  a  fondness  for  mutton.  It  flies  upon  the 
backs  of  the  sheep,  and,  with  its  strong  bill,  tears 
the  flesh  away  until  it  reaches  the  fat  around  the 
kidneys,  which  is  all  that  it  eats.  Dogs  and  rats 
were  the  only  native  quadrupeds  when  the  islands 
were  first  visited  by  Europeans.  There  are  no 
snakes.  A  few  lizards  are  found,  which  are  harm- 
less, although  they  are  held  in  superstition  by  the 
natives,  who  think  the  spirits  of  their  ancestors 
inhabit  them. 

The  trees  are  almost  all  evergreens ;  conse- 
quently change  of  seasons  makes  very  little  differ- 
ence in  the  appearance  of  the  forests.  The  kauri 
pine,  which  is  found  only  in  the  North  Island, 
grows  to  a  great  size,  and  is  often  forty  feet  in  cir- 
cumference. Owingf  to  the  lightness  and  toughness 
of  the  stem,  it  is  well  adapted  for  masts.  The 
totard  pine  equals  the  kauri  in  lightness  and  com- 
mercial value  ;  the  purri  rivals  the  English  oak  in 
hardness. 

There  are  2,500  miles  of  railway  in  New  Zea- 
land. In  addition  to  road  and  railway  communi- 
cation, intercourse  is  carried  on  between  the  chief 
ports,  two  or  three  times  a  week,  by  swift,  commo- 
dious  steamers.     Telegraph    wires    run    through 


The  Maoris.  257 

every  settled  district,  and  extend  to  Australia  and 
England.  There  are  a  line  of  steamers  which 
make  regular  monthly  trips  between  San  Fran- 
cisco and  Auckland,  and  regular  mail  steamers 
which  run  between  the  latter  place  and  England. 
The  time  consumed  in  making  the  trip  is 
forty-five  days.  There  are  also  steamers  which 
run  between  New  Zealand  and  the  different 
Australian  ports.  The  distance  between  Auckland 
and  Melbourne  is  1,479  miles.  For  many  years 
the  government  issued  free  tickets  to  emigrants, 
and  thousands  of  people  from  England  and  Ger- 
many availed  themselves  of  this  privilege,  and 
made  themselves  homes  in  this  far-off  land.  The 
issuing  of  free  tickets  has  now  been  stopped,  and 
an  aid-emigration  bureau  has  been  established  by 
the  government,  which  assists  farmers,  and  other 
classes  of  people  in  need  of  assistance,  with  a 
small  amount  of  capital,  and  enables  them  to  get 
a  start. 

The  native  inhabitants  are  called  Maori.  Their 
hair  is  generally  coarse  and  black,  though  some- 
times a  rusty  red  ;  they  have  good  teeth,  a  broad 
nose,  and  brown  skin,  which  in  some  instances  is 
very  fair,  and  in  others  so  dark  that  it  is  almost 
black.  They  are  deficient  in  reason  and  judgment, 
and  have  little  imagination,  but  possess  good  mem- 
ories and  quick  perceptions.  They  are  fond  of 
simple  and  noisy  music,  and  have  an  accurate  per- 

17 


258  Around  the  World. 

ception  of  time.  They  are  vain,  arrogant  and 
revengeful,  hospitable  to  strangers,  affectionate  to 
their  friends,  and  observant  of  their  promises ; 
they  are  dirty  and  indolent,  and  formerly  worshiped 
gods,  to  whom  they  addressed  prayers  and  offered 
sacrifices.  Their  gods  were  invisible,  many  of 
them  deified  men,  ancestral  chiefs  of  the  tribe  or 
nation  by  whom  they  were  worshiped.  They  be- 
lieve in  a  future  state,  and  that  there  are  two 
distinct  abodes  for  departed  spirits,  neither  of 
which  is  a  place  of  punishment,  as  they  believe 
that  evil  deeds  are  punished  in  this  world  by 
sickness  and  personal  misfortune.  They  are  appar- 
ently more  industrious  and  more  capable  of 
civilization  than  our  American  Indians,  and  are 
now  turning  their  attention  to  farming  and  other 
pursuits 

In  the  bush  and  back  country  are  thousands  of 
wild  hogs,  the  increase  from  a  few  that  Captain 
Cook  let  loose  when  he  first  landed  on  the  island. 
Auckland  is  the  largest  city  on  the  islands,  and 
was,  until  1865,  the  seat  of  government.  All  of 
the  principal  cities  are  well  laid  out  ;  the  streets  are 
broad,  and  the  buildings  of  modern  architecture. 
Wellington,  the  capital  of  the  province  of  the  same 
name,  and  at  present  the  seat  of  the  New  Zealand 
Government,  is  situated  on  the  fine  harbor  of  Port 
Nicholson.  It  has  a  number  of  fine  public  build- 
ings.    The  principal  hotels  are  the  Occidental  and 


The  Climate.  259 

the  Imperial,  at  each  of  which  the  regular  charge 
for  accommodations  is  twelve  shillings  per  day. 
The  country  is  especially  adapted  to  agriculture,  as 
it  is  never  subject  to  drouth,  and  can  always  find  a 
market  for  the  surplus  crops  in  the  sister  colony  of 
Australia,  where  drouths  are  of  frequent  occurrence. 
New  Zealand  is  nearly  antipodal  to  Great  Britain, 
and  resembles  it  in  climate,  only  that  it  is  more 
equable.  The  summer  is  longer  and  somewhat 
warmer  than  that  of  England,  and  the  other  sea- 
sons much  milder.  In  some  districts  high  winds 
prevail  ;  in  others,  the  atmosphere  is  peculiarly 
serene.  The  climate  is  said  to  be  the  finest  in  the 
world.  New  Zealand,  with  her  mild  climate,  fertile 
soil,  fine  harbors,  extensive  and  valuable  mineral 
deposits,  and  picturesque  and  beautiful  scenery,  is 
destined  to  rank  first  among  the  colonies  in  the 
Southern  Hemisphere.  After  a  pleasant  and  profit- 
able visit  to  this  country,  I  returned  to  Sydney, 
where  I  embarked  on  the  steamer  Airlie  (belong- 
ing to  the  Australian  and  Eastern  Steamship  Com- 
pany) for  China. 


260  Around  the  World. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE    AUSTRALIAN    COAST. 

The  distance  between  Sydney  and  Hong-Kong 
is  4,500  miles;  so  I  was  in  for  another  long  sea 
voyage,  and  the  most  dangerous  one  I  had  yet 
undertaken  since  beginning  my  tour.  First,  we 
had  to  travel  for  a  distance  of  2,000  miles  with  the 
Australian  shore  on  one  side  and  the  Great  Barrier 
Reefs  on  the  other, — the  most  extensive  coral  reefs 
known  in  the  world.  There  are  frequent  and  often 
dangerous  passages  in  this  barrier  which  permit  the 
entrance  of  vessels  into  the  sea  lying  between  it 
and  the  mainland.  This  body  of  water  varies  in 
breadth,  from  its  southern  entrance,  where  the  reefs 
lie  at  a  great  distance  from  the  shore  and  it  is  a 
broad,  open  sea,  to  its  central  point,  at  Cape  Tribu- 
lation, where  it  hardly  affords  a  passage  for  vessels. 
Going  north,  it  widens  again  until  it  stretches  far 
away  from  the  coast,  and  extends  across  the  east 
end  of  Torres  Strait.  Many  vessels  have  been 
stranded  on  these  reefs  in  the  last  few  years. 

Secondly,  we  had  to  face  the  typhoon  in  the 
China  Sea.  These  winds  are  generally  preceded 
by  a  peculiar  haziness  of  the  atmosphere,  and  an 


Along  the  Australian  Shore.  261 

ominous  stillness.  When  the  storm  has  arrived  at 
its  greatest  severity,  the  confusion  of  the  scene  is 
almost  indescribable;  the  wind  fills  the  air  with  a 
deafening  roar,  and  there  occur  gusts,  the  violence 
of  which  equals  or  exceeds  the  force  of  the  strong- 
est wave  ;  everything  gives  way  before  this  terrific 
wind,  and  the  ship  that  can  weather  it  is  indeed 
fortunate.  The  Chinese  call  these  storms  tae-fun; 
they  are  of  frequent  occurrence  in  the  China  Sea, 
and  many  ships  are  wrecked  by  them  every  year. 
To  make  matters  still  more  dangerous  on  this  par- 
ticular voyage,  the  ship  was  loaded  down,  to  within 
two  feet  of  the  water's  edge,  with  coal  and  other 
heavy  material.  As  a-  large  share  of  this  cargo 
was  to  be  distributed  at  different  ports  along  the 
Northern  Australian  coast,  it  gave  us  ample  time 
to  take  in  all  the  coast  towns  of  New  South  Wales 
and  Oueenstown. 

On  leaving  Sydney,  we  steamed  down  the  har- 
bor, and  soon  found  ourselves  in  the  South  Pacific 
Ocean.  After  traveling  seventy-three  miles,  we 
arrived  at  Newcastle,  where  we  loaded  the  steamer 
down  to  the  brim  with  coal  to  feed  the  furnaces  on 
this  long  and  boisterous  voyage.  Newcastle  is  the 
principal  seaport  town  on  the  northern  coast  of 
New  South  Wales.  There  are  two  lines  of  steam- 
ers which  run  daily  between  this  place  and  Sydney. 
It  is  a  well  built  town,  and  has  a  population  of 
nearly  25,000.     The  harbor  is  defended  by  a  fort,, 


262  Around  the  World. 

and  protected  by  a  breakwater,  which  renders  it 
more  easy  of  access  in  stormy  weather.  Besides 
the  agricultural  produce  of  the  Hunter  River  dis- 
trict, the  principal  export  is  coal.  It  is  a  common 
thing  for  vessels  in  this  part  of  the  world,  after 
discharoinof  their  cargoes,  to  pfo  to  Newcastle  and 
take  in  a  cargo  of  coal  for  the  return  trip. 

After  leaving  Newcastle,  the  next  city  of  impor- 
tance we  arrived  at  was  Brisbane,  the  capital  of  the 
Colony  of  Queensland.  It  is  situated  on  both 
banks  of  the  River  Brisbane,  about  twenty-five 
miles  from  its  entrance  into  Morton  Bay,  and  con- 
sists of  four  parts, —  North  and  South  Brisbane, 
Kangaroo  Point  and  Fortitude  Valley.  The  river 
opposite  the  town  is  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
broad,  and  is  navigable  for  vessels  of  considerable 
burden.  This  town  was  founded  in  1825  as  a 
penal  settlement,  and  named  in  honor  of  Sir 
Thomas  Brisbane.  In  1842  the  penal  establish- 
ment was  abolished,  and  colonization  set  in.  Bris- 
bane is  a  prosperous  seaport  town,  and  has  a  mixed 
European  population  of  about  47,000.  It  is 
backed  by  vast  mineral  resources,  and  also  by 
extensive  pastoral  districts,  where  sheep  farming  is 
largely  engaged  in. 

The  chief  orold-mininp-  towns  in  Oueensland 
are  Palmerville,  Ravenswood,  Charter  Tower  and 
Olympia.  Queensland  lies  between  Torres  Strait 
and  New  South  Wales.      It  was  separated  from  the 


Productions  of  Queensland.  263 

mother  colony  in  1859.  For  many  years  there 
existed  a  natural  but  unfounded  prejudice  against 
the  supposed  warmer  climate  of  this  colony,  which 
retarded  its  progress.  But  the  discovery  of  its 
great  wealth  in  mineral  and  sugar  lands,  and  the 
fact  of  the  remarkable  salubrity  of  the  climate, 
removed  this  prejudice,  and  greatly  advanced  the 
prosperity  of  the  colony. 

The  main  range  of  mountains  consists  of  a 
broad  plateau  extending  from  north  to  south  at  a 
distance  of  from  20  to  100  miles  from  the  coast, 
and  varying  in  height  from  2,000  to  5,000  feet. 
This  region  is  the  seat  of  mining,  and  will  be  of 
agriculture.  The  Coast  Range  is  less  elevated. 
Cape  York  Peninsula  is  a  fair  sample  of  Queens- 
land. Good  land  alternates  with  bad.  The  hills 
are  rich  in  mineral  wealth,  and  the  forests  are  very 
valuable.  The  flats  near  the  mouths  of  the 
majority  of  the  streams  are  admirably  adapted  to 
the  growth  of  rice  and  sugar-cane,  while  the  hilly 
slopes  are  suitable  for  coffee  trees.  Pastoral  farm- 
ing is  the  leading  industry  of  the  colony,  and  until 
the  last  few  years  little  attention  was  paid  to  agri- 
culture, on  account  of  the  high  price  of  labor,  and 
the  difficulty  of  finding  a  market  for  agricultural 
products. 

There  is  a  vast  section  of  country  which  is 
especially  adapted  to  stock-raising.  These  lands 
are    nearly    all    owned    by   the    government,    and 


264  'Around  the  World. 

leased  to  stock-raisers,  for  a  small  rental,  for  a  term 
of  years.  In  settled  districts,  or  within  thirty  miles 
of  the  coast,  a  "run"  is  subject  to  resumption  by 
the  state,  on  giving  six  months'  notice,  should  any 
part  of  it  be  required  by  actual  settlers  for  the 
purpose  of  cutting  it  up  into  farms.  But  in  the 
unsettled  districts  a  lease  of  twenty-one  years 
granted  by  the  government,  is  pretty  secure  to  the 
lessee.  The  rent  advances  every  seven  years  of 
the  term  from  about  a  half  a  farthing  to  a  penny 
an  acre.  Within  certain  distances  of  the  principal 
mountains  the  rains  fall  regularly;  but  the  central 
and  southern  districts  of  Queensland  are  not  so 
well  favored,  and  the  western  part  of  the  colony 
depends  on  occasional  thunder-storms,  although 
nature  provides  this  section  with  a  species  of  grass 
which  resists  drouths  for  a  long  time.  At  the  time 
of  my  visit  to  Brisbane,  I  was  told  that  little  rain 
had  fallen  in  this  vicinity  for  several  years  ;  the 
hills  had  a  bronzed  appearance,  and  many  of  the 
water-courses  had  run  dry. 

The  Great  Barrier  Reef,  which  follows  the  line 
of  the  northeastern  coast  for  1,200  miles,  protects 
it  from  the  violence  of  the  ocean's  storms,  and 
forms  a  natural  breakwater.  Inside  of  this  reef 
the  water  is  very  smooth.  As  we  continued  our 
journey  northward,  we  were  the  greater  part  of  the 
time  in  plain  sight  of  the  mainland  on  one  side, 
and  the  reefs  on  the  other.      On  this  passage  I  saw 


The  Coral  Sea.  265 

the  wreck  of  an  American  bark  which  had  been 
stranded  some  three  months  before  on  a  hidden 
reef,  the  passengers  and  crew  barely  escaping 
with  their  lives, — a  fair  sample  of  what  occurs 
every  year  in  the  Coral  Sea. 

The  next  Australian  city  at  which  we  stopped 
was  Rockhampton,  situated  on  the  Fitzroy  River, 
and  nearly  on  the  Tropic  of  Capricorn.  It  is  built 
in  the  hills,  and,  notwithstanding  the  heat,  has  a 
singularly  line  climate.  It  is  a  gateway  to  a  great 
pastoral  country,  and  a  port  of  export  for  wool. 
The  hills  in  this  vicinity  are  rich  in  minerals.  From 
Rockhampton  westward  a  railroad  has  been  built 
into  the  interior.  Our  next  stopping  place  was 
Townsville,  on  Cleveland  Bay.  Here  a  narrow- 
gauge  railway  fifty  miles  long  runs  to  Charter 
Tower,  and  will  eventually  be  extended  farther 
into  the  interior  country.  The  scenery  in  the 
mountains  is  often  beautiful,  but  not  grand.  The 
shore  and  the  islands  along  the  coast  are  clothed 
with  palms  and  other  tropical  trees.  Flowers  are 
numerous,  and  have  a  powerful  fragrance.  Over 
300  useful  woods  grow  in  Queensland,  including 
satin-wood,  sandalwood,  teak,  mahogany,  the  red 
cedar  and  tulip-wood.  Beautiful  ferns  abound,  and 
include  many  different  varieties.  In  the  northeast 
particularly,  the  tree  fern  attains  magnificent  pro- 
portions, often  rising  from  twenty  to  thirty  feet. 
The  sea  along  this  coast  abounds  in  fish,  and  the 


266  Around  the  World. 

fishery  of  the  trepang,  beche-de-mer,  or  sea  slug, 
employs  a  considerable  number  <5f  boats  along  the 
coral  reefs.  These  fish  are  boiled,  smoked,  dried, 
or  packed  in  bags  for  exportation  to  China.  They 
make  an  agreeable  and  nourishing  soup,  which  is 
much  relished  by  Australian  invalids.  The  du- 
gong,  or  sea  cow,  has  a  delicate  flesh  of  the  flavor 
of  veal,  and  furnishes  an  oil  with  the  qualities  of 
cod-liver  oil.  The  Chinese  are  the  best  fishermen 
in  Australian  waters.  The  climate  on  the  north- 
ern coast  is  dry  and  salubrious,  the  highest  tem- 
perature being  1 10  degrees  in  the  shade  in  Decem- 
ber, and  the  lowest  75  degrees  in  June.  The  heat 
on  this  shore  is  modified  by  the  gentle  breeze  of 
the  southeastern  monsoon,  which  blows  almost 
constantly  for  about  seven  months  in  the  year. 

The  next  point  of  interest  which  came  under  my 
observation  was  Cape  Tribulation,  which  was  dis- 
covered by  Captain  Cook  on  his  first  visit  to  Aus- 
tralia. His  vessel  had  to  put  in  here  for  repairs, 
as  it  had  sustained  more  or  less  injury  in  penetrat- 
ing the  coral  reefs.  Captain  Cook  was  one  of  the 
greatest  navigators  of  his  day.  He  discovered 
New  Zealand  in  1  769  ;  but  his  attempts  to  pene- 
trate the  interior  were  frustrated  by  the  hostility  of 
the  natives,  and  he  had  to  content  himself  with  a 
six-months  voyage  around  the  coast.  He  discov- 
ered the  existence  of  the  channel  which  divides 
New  Zealand  into  two  lar^e  islands.     From  New 


The  Great  Navigator  s  Sad  Fate.         267 

Zealand  he  went  to  Australia,  and,  on  April  28th, 
came  in  sight  of  Botany  Bay.  His  discoveries 
here  were  also  confined  to  the  coasts,  as  the  na- 
tives were  hostile.  However,  he  formally  took 
possession  of  the  country  in  the  name  of  Great 
Britain.  From  Australia  he  went  to  New  Guinea, 
and  from  there  to  Batavia,  where,  his  boat  being 
disabled,  he  had  to  put  in  for  repairs.  He  returned 
to  England,  June  11,  1  77 1 ,  having  circumnavigated 
the  globe  in  less  than  three  years.  He  afterward 
lost  his  life  on  the  Sandwich   Islands,  in  February, 

1779- 

Near  Cape  Tribulation  stands  Cooktown,  one  of 
the  most  important  ports  on  the  Northern  Austra- 
lian coast.  It  lies  at  the  foot  of  a  towering  mount- 
ain, and  is  washed  by  the  waters  of  the  Coral  Sea. 
Back  of  this  town  lies  Cook's  district,  which  is  rich 
in  natural  resources,  and  is  said  to  contain  the 
most  extensive  gold  fields  in  Oueensland.  At  the 
time  I  visited  the  town,  there  was  a  great  mining 
boom,  due  to  the  discovery  of  new  and  rich  mines. 
Cooktown  has  a  fine  climate,  and  tropical  fruits 
of  all  kinds  grow  in  profusion.  Here  can  be  seen 
orange  trees,  cocoanut,  tamarind,  guava,  papaw, 
banana  and  pine-apple,  in  addition  to  fruits  and 
vegetables  of  all  kinds.  This  is  also  a  good  sugar 
country. 

A  great  drawback  to  the  settlement  of  the  inte- 
rior country  surrounding  Cooktown  is  the  character 


268  Around  the  World. 

of  the  natives,  who  are  said  to  be  very  ferocious, 
many  of  them  being  cannibals.  I  heard  of  several 
instances  where  white  men  had  been  murdered, 
robbed  and  eaten  by  these  savages.  While  I  claim 
to  have  had  a  considerable  experience,  and  a  good 
opportunity  of  studying  the  characteristics  of  the 
different  human  races  during  the  last  thirty  years, 
a  sense  of  the  fitness  of  things  prevents  me  from 
dilating  on  the  results  of  those  observations  here. 
I  have  no  hesitation,  however,  in  saying,  that,  from 
the  information  I  derived  in  regard  to  these  Aus- 
tralian aborigines,  and  from  what  I  saw  of  the 
dusky,  greasy  features  of  the  half-tamed  ones  who 
idle  around  the  towns,  and  whose  only  pursuit 
seems  to  be  begging  from  and  murdering  white 
men,  they  certainly  seem  to  be  the  most  worthless 
species  of  humanity.  They  have  no  industry 
whatever,  and  have  an  insatiable  thirst  for  human 
blood.  The  majority  of  them  are  as  wild  and 
savage  as  the  wolves  of  the  forest. 

Occasionally,  however,  the  least  harmful  of  them 
are  permitted  to  approach  the  seaport  towns.  For 
instance,  in  Cooktown  I  saw  them  lurking  around 
the  streets,  both  sexes  as  nearly  destitute  of  cloth- 
ing as  the  law  would  allow  them  to  appear  in  civil- 
ization. As  they  wear  no  costume  worthy  of 
mention,  I  am  relieved  from  description  in  that 
line.  The  men  all  wear  laree  rinofs  in  their  noses. 
You    often   see   women  with   their   naked   babies 


Aborigines  and  Mongolians.  269 


a 


strapped  upon  their  bare,  brown  backs.  They  are 
kept  warm  by  the  heat  of  the  tropical  sun,  and  do 
not  seem  to  feel  the  need  of  clothing.  It  seemed 
strange  to  me  that  the  British  Government  per- 
mitted these  savages  to  roam  at  large,  instead  of 
confining  them  to  reservations.  I  heard  a  great 
deal  of  complaint  from  European  residents  on  this 
score.  The  natives  are  much  better  protected 
from  being  killed  or  persecuted  by  the  whites  than 
are  our  American  Indians.  I  also  discovered  that 
the  Mongolian  is  much  better  protected  in  British 
possessions  than  in  the  United  States,  although  I 
heard  the  same  complaint  all  over  Australia  that  I 
had  constantly  heard  at  home  ;  namely,  that  the 
Chinese  were  the  ruination  of  the  country,  inso- 
much that  they  supplanted  white  labor  in  every 
branch  of  industry,  swarming  into  the  mines,  and 
in  all  the  cities  and  towns. 

As  we  steamed  out  of  Cooktown,  I  discovered 
that  our  live  cargo  had  been  augmented  by  200 
Chinamen  picked  up  at  the  different  coast  towns. 
These  were  all  bound  for  the  Celestial  Empire, 
intent  on  enjoying  the  Chinese  New  Year  among 
their  moon-eyed  brethren.  The  majority  of  these 
pig-tail  passengers  had  a  return  ticket,  and  ex- 
pected to  go  back  and  make  another  drain  on  the 
Australian  resources.  We  were  so  heavily  laden, 
both  with  freight  and  live  cargo,  that,  had  we 
struck  on  a  reef,  the  iron  vessel  would  have  sunk 


270  Aroicnd  the  World. 

like  lead.  The  white  passengers  would  probably 
have  had  to  share  the  fate  of  the  vessel,  as  the 
Chinese  were  largely  in  the  majority  and  would 
have  captured  all  the  life-boats. 

All  along  the  coast  are  numerous  lighthouses 
and  light-ships,  with  revolving  lights,  which  have 
been  stationed  in  different  places  to  aid  the  mariner 
on  his  way.  In  the  more  dangerous  portions  of 
the  channel,  vessels  are  required  to  anchor  over 
niodit,  in  order  to  avoid  the  risk  of  running  on  hid- 
den  rocks  and  reefs.  At  last,  after  a  safe  but  slow 
passage,  we  entered  the  Albany  Pass,  and  the 
Great  Barrier  Reefs  gradually  faded  from  sight. 
Many  of  the  islands  in  the  Coral  Sea  are  as  bare 
as  a  bone  of  vegetation,  and  are  partially  cov- 
ered with  drifting  sand;  others  are  covered  with 
shrubs.  Pieces  of  wrecks  are  scattered  along  the 
shores  of  these  islands,  and  various  other  objects 
which  have  drifted  in  from  the  sea.  Albany  Pass 
is  situated  between  the  Coral  Sea  and  Torres 
Strait.  It  is  a  narrow  opening  about  two  miles 
long,  and  half  a  mile  wide,  lined  with  picturesque 
points  and  projecting  rocks,  and  the  greater  part  of 
the  shore  is  clothed  in  luxuriant  evergreens,  which 
add  much  to  the  beauty  of  the  scene.  Every  object 
of  interest  is  appreciated  by  the  tourist,  as  he  soon 
wearies  of  the  monotony  of  ocean  travel. 

The  first  place  of  importance  in  Torres  Strait  is 
Thursday  Island,  the  chief  seat  of  the  pearl-fishing 


Torrid  on   Torres  Strait.  271 

industry  on  the  Australian  coast.  It  is  three  miles 
longf  and  two  miles  broad.  Its  inhabitants  and 
those  of  the  neighboring  groups  are  principally 
European  divers,  who  come  here  solely  to  engage 
in  pearl  fishing,  and  with  the  expectation  of  accu- 
mulating a  fortune  in  this  enterprise.  Pearl  fishing 
in  these  waters  is  a  growing  and  prosperous  in- 
dustry. The  shells  are  procured  by  diving,  and 
bring  from  $600  to  $1,000  a  ton.  Mother  of  pearl 
and  tortoise  shells  abound.  This  industry  is  said 
to  be  very  hard  on  the  lungs,  and  often  causes  un- 
timely death. 

After  crossing  Torres  Strait,  we  entered  the  Gulf 
of  Carpentaria,  and  skirted  the  western  shore  of 
New  Guinea.  I  was  unable  to  grain  much  informa- 
tion  in  regard  to  the  resources  of  this  island,  as 
only  a  small  portion  of  it  has  ever  been  explored 
or  colonized,  on  account  of  the  hostility  of  the 
native  inhabitants.  Both  the  Eng-lish  and  Dutch 
have  made  repeated  attempts  to  explore  the  interior, 
but  so  far  have  met  with  very  poor  success.  The 
sea-coast  in  the  vicinity  of  Port  Mosby  and  the  Fly 
River,  is  sparsely  settled  by  Europeans,  who  are 
principally  engaged  in  shell-gathering  and  pearl 
fishing;. 

Sailing  in  the  Gulf  of  Carpentaria,  we  were  fast 
approaching  the  Equatorial  line.  The  heat  of  the 
tropical  sun  became  terrific,  and  the  passengers  had 
all  they  could  do  to  keep  from  melting.     The  first 


272  Around  the  World. 

half  of  this  passage  the  heat  was  the  most  intense 
I  had  experienced  since  crossing  the  Red  Sea,  and, 
if  anything,  it  was  hotter  than  then.  In  my  state- 
room in  the  coolest  part  of  the  night,  with  the  door 
and  port-holes  wide  open,  the  heat  was  suffocating. 
I  generally  beat  a  hasty  retreat  to  the  open  deck, 
where  I  could  get  an  occasional  breath  of  fresh 
air,  more  to  be  appreciated  than  diamonds  in  this 
latitude.  Many  of  the  passengers  could  be  seen  at 
all  hours  of  the  night  stretched  out  on  the  quarter 
deck  trying  to  get  a  few  hours'  rest  and  repose  after 
enduring  the  severe  heat  of  the  day.  The  captain 
and  officers  were  reduced  to  the  same  expedient. 
As  for  myself,  I  began  to  ponder,  and  wonder  whether 
this  was  the  lovely  Australian  coast  or  a  temporary 
hell  on  sea. 

One  phenomenon  in  this  part  of  the  globe  is 
that  the  sun  is  apparently  traveling  in  the  northern 
heavens,  and  that  the  compass  points  south  instead 
of  north,  which  seems  odd  to  a  traveler  from  the 
other  side  of  the  globe. 

After  two  days'  sailing  over  the  memorable  Gulf 
of  Carpentaria,  we  steamed  into  Port  Darwin, 
where  we  anchored  for  two  days,  discharging  a 
large  amount  of  cargo  and  a  considerable  number 
of  passengers,  many  of  whom  were  bound  for  the 
new  gold  fields  at  Ord  River,  in  Western  Australia. 
I  was  told  that  new  gold  fields  are  always  being 
discovered  in  this  country,  and  that  there  is  gener- 


Port  Darwin.  273 

ally  more  or  less  excitement  in  regard  to  mines. 
Port  Darwin  is  the  last  and  most  northern  point 
on  the  Australian  coast.  It  lies  in  latitude  five, 
and  is  2,500  miles  from  Melbourne,  and  about  the 
same  distance  from  Honof-Konor  Owing-  to  its 
nearness  to  the  Equator,  it  is  extremely  hot  there. 

This  port  is  quite  a  commercial  centre,  and  has 
the  advantage  of  having  a  spacious  and  secure 
harbor.  This  harbor  is  almost  encircled  by  a  low 
peninsula,  extending  into  the  Bay  of  Carpentaria, 
and  is  considered,  next  to  the  one  at  Sydney,  the 
best  harbor  in  Australia.  The  main  feature  of 
interest  at  this  port  is  the  long  wharves,  which  are 
being  built  far  out  into  the  harbor.  When  these 
are  completed,  the  cargo  can  be  unloaded  directly 
from  the  ship  to  the  cars,  instead  of  being  trans- 
ferred in  barges  from  the  ship  to  the  shore,  as  at 
present.  The  town  has  no  imposing  buildings,  and 
the  houses  are  low  and  square,  with  broad  veran- 
das built  all  around  them  to  keep  out,  as  much  as 
possible,  the  heat  of  the  tropical  sun.  The  ther- 
mometer often  rises  as  high  as  130  degrees  in  the 
shade,  and  I  found  the  heat  more  intense  than  at 
Fort  Yuma  or  Panama. 

The  vicinity  of  Port  Darwin  is  inhabited  by  sav- 
age tribes.  Many  of  these  natives  haunt  the  town, 
and  you  often  see  them  rambling  around  the  streets, 
the  women  almost  invariably  with  a  baby  strapped 
to  their  backs.  While  several  gentlemen  and  my- 
18 


274  Around  the  World. 

self  were  sitting  on  the  veranda  to  our  hotel,  we 
were  approached  by  one  of  these  brown  beauties, 
who  offered  to  sell  us  her  baby  for  the  sum  of  ten 
shillings,  as  it  was  the  only  baby  she  had.  She 
failed,  however,  to  make  a  sale,  even  at  this  low 
figure,  as  we  were  all  afraid  to  invest  in  this  kind 
of  a  curiosity,  thinking  that  it  might  prove  an  an- 
noying and  perhaps  expensive  investment  in  the 
long  run.  This  only  goes  to  illustrate  how  far  from 
being  civilized  these  people  are,  as  any  one  of  them 
will  sell  their  children  for  a  mere  song. 


Off  for  China.  275 


CHAPTER    XV. 

PHILIPPINE    ISLANDS    AND    CHINA    SEA    TO 
HONG-KONG. 

On  leaving  Port  Darwin,  we  set  sail  for  China, 
traveling  by  way  of  the  Philippine  Islands,  Java 
and  Singapore.  As  we  steamed  out  of  the  harbor, 
I  had  my  last  glimpse  of  Australia,  a  country  to 
which  I  had  given  more  time  and  attention  in  in- 
vestigating its  various  resources  than  to  any  other 
on  my  whole  tour.  As  I  have  said  before,  Australia 
lies  thousands  of  miles  out  of  the  beaten  line  of 
travel  between  India  and  China,  and  on  that  ac- 
count has  not  been  visited  by  the  greater  propor- 
tion of  tourists.  My  journeyings  in  Australia,  both 
by  land  and  water,  amounted  to  6,000  miles,  nearly 
5,000  miles  of  that  distance  being  devoted  to  sail- 
ing along  the  sea-coast.  I  visited  all  the  principal 
cities  and  seaports,  and  traveled  nearly  two-thirds 
of  the  entire  distance  around  this  mammoth  island. 
I  sailed  from  Cape  Leeuwin,  in  the  Indian  Ocean, 
to  Port  Darwin,  in  the  Gulf  of  Carpentaria.  I 
also  traveled  1,200  miles  by  rail,  which  gave  me  an 
opportunity  of  viewing  the  principal  inland  sights, 
and   forming  an   estimate   of  the   resources  of  the 


276  Around  the  World. 

country.  From  the  Gulf  of  Carpentaria  we  sailed 
into  the  Arafura  Sea,  sighting  the  Island  of  Ser- 
mattan.  This  is  a  small  island  of  no  particular 
importance,  twelve  miles  long  and  six  miles  broad, 
its  only  visible  vegetation  being  a  few  tropical 
plants.  For  two  days  the  heat  was  almost  intoler- 
able, and  every  one  donned  their  white  suits,  about 
the  only  suits  worn  by  passengers,  captain  and  of- 
ficers in  these  latitudes.  As  they  are  inexpensive, 
and  much  cooler  and  more  comfortable  than  woolen 
clothing,  travelers  in  this  part  of  the  world  usually 
carry  a  number  of  these  suits  with  them.  It  is 
necessary,  however,  to  take  woolen  clothing  too ; 
as,  the  average  speed  of  the  steamer  being  twelve 
knots  an  hour,  or  300  miles  per  day,  one  travels 
over  quite  a  number  of  degrees  of  latitude  in  a 
week,  and  the  temperature  varies  accordingly. 

We  had  been  distributing  European  passengers 
all  along  the  coast  at  the  various  Australian  ports 
at  which  we  touched,  and  in  turn  had  picked  up 
Chinese,  so  that  now  the  Celestials  numbered  at 
least  300,  and  my  white  companions  had  dwindled 
down  to  a  mere  handful.  This  was  anything  but 
pleasant  to  reflect  upon,  and  I  would  have  much 
preferred  to  have  the  order  of  things  reversed. 
Life  on  board  of  the  steamer  Airlie,  among  the 
coolies,  was  busy  and  full  of  interest,  not  only  to 
the  Chinese  themselves,  but  to  the  other  passen- 
gers, who  found   amusement  in  watching  how  the 


Celestials  Gambling  at  Sea.  277 


v> 


Chinese  conducted  themselves.  An  artist  would 
have  found  material  for  at  least  one  day's  work, 
and  the  illustrated  papers  could  have  gleaned  some 
striking-  views. 

Probably  the  most  interesting  sight  was  their 
gambling  games,  which  they  generally  kept  up 
from  dawn  until  midnight.  They  were  divided  up 
into  squads,  seated  on  the  open  deck,  engaged  in 
various  games  ;  were  almost  stripped  of  clothing, 
and  would  sit  in  the  blazing  sun  with  a  fan  in  one 
hand  and  their  gambling  blocks  in  the  other, 
apparently  trying  to  fleece  each  other.  Those  that 
were  not  gambling  were  lying  on  their  backs 
smoking  opium,  or  quarreling,  and  some  were  even 
fighting.  The  liveliest  time,  however,  was  at  meal 
time,  when  a  grand  rush  was  made  for  the  table, 
and  they  seized  their  chop-sticks,  and  shoveled  the 
rice  into  their  mouths  as  fast  as  if  their  lives 
depended  on  the  rapidity  with  which  they  ate.  The 
meal  finished,  they  left  the  table  as  unceremo- 
niously as  they  came,  and  went  to  gambling  with 
renewed  vigor.  Money  changed  hands  rapidly  ; 
the  poor  became  rich,  and  the  rich  became  poor,  in 
a  few  hours  of  play.  The  Chinese  have  a  decided 
passion  for  gambling,  and  I  was  fully  convinced, 
from  what  I  saw,  that  they  would  much  sooner 
gamble  than  eat. 

These  Celestials  are  not  the  most  miserable  race 
in  existence,  by  any  means.     The  deck  hands,  con- 


278  Around  the  World. 

sisting  of  a  mixture  of  several  Oriental  races,  were 
a  much  more  degraded  set,  even  dispensing  with 
chop-sticks  while  eating,  conveying  the  food  to 
their  mouths  with  their  hands,  and  reminding  one 
of  so  many  dusky  pigs  gathered  around  a  dough 
pile.  At  night  their  only  bed  was  the  open  deck, 
on  which  they  lay  down  destitute  of  any  covering 
but  their  scanty  clothing,  and,  with  their  faces  to 
the  tropical  sky,  slept  much  more  soundly  than  do 
many  of  their  civilized  brethren  when  surrounded 
by  all  the  comforts  and  luxuries  that  man's  inge- 
nuity can  devise.  The  engine  in  the  steamer  Air- 
lie  had  a  capacity  of  314  horse-power,  and  the  ship 
itself  was  of  3,000  tons  burthen.  The  officers,  con- 
sisting- of  the  captain,  four  mates  and  four  engi- 
neers, and  the  goodly  staff  of  smiling  waiters,  were 
all  Europeans.  The  men  before  the  mast,  and  the 
balance  of  the  crew,  were  a  mixture  of  native 
Portuguese,  Maoris,  Hindus,  Arabs  and  Malays. 
They  received  a  sixpence,  or  twelve  cents,  a  day 
for  their  services.  They  certainly  work  cheap 
enough,  as  they  do  good  work,  and  have  very  poor 
fare,  and  a  white  man  would  hardly  be  able  to  do 
the  work  they  do  and  endure  the  heat. 

The  same  rules  for  bills  of  fare  and  nours  for 
serving  meals  seem  to  prevail  on  all  steamships 
which  sail  in  Asiatic  and  Australian  waters.  Each 
passenger  has  his  own  particular  place  at  the  table, 
which  is  always,  especially  for  dinner,  bountifully 


Islands  —  Burning  Mountain.  279 

spread.  The  few  European  fellow-passengers  I 
had  on  this  voyage  were  a  jolly  lot,  composed  of 
several  London  and  Australian  merchants,  and  a 
Hong-Kong  sea  captain,  who  thoroughly  under- 
stood the  navigation  of  these  waters.  As  the  com- 
mander of  our  ship,  Captain  Ellis,  was  a  fine  navi- 
gator, we  were  abundantly  blessed  in  that  respect. 
Both  captains  kept  me  well  posted  as  to  the  lati- 
tude and  longitude  we  were  in,  and  also  informed 
me  in  regard  to  the  various  objects  and  islands  we 
passed,  the  direction  in  which  we  were  moving, 
and  the  governments  to  which  the  different  islands 
we  sighted,  belonged. 

We  traveled  as  nearly  as  possible  in  a  northerly 
direction,  although  a  direct  course  was  often  pre- 
vented by  the  numerous  islands  of  the  Indian 
Archipelago.  Progress  was  necessarily  slow,  on 
account  of  the  roundabout  way  in  which  we  had 
to  travel,  and  the  many  obstructions  which  occur 
in  these  waters.  Our  average  speed  was  not  ovi  r 
ten  miles,  or  ten  knots,  an  hour  ;  while  in  free  and 
open  ocean,  with  the  monsoon  in  our  favor,  we 
would  average  twelve  knots  an  hour.  Three  hun- 
dred miles  is  considered  a  day's  journey  at  sea. 

Seventy  miles  from  Sermattan,  we  approached 
Damma  Island,  where  we  were  treated  to  a  change 
of  scene  in  the  shape  of  witnessing  the  eruption  of 
a  large  volcano,  which  appeared  at  a  distance  like 
a   burning    mountain.      Leaving    this  grand    sight 


280  Around  the  World. 

behind,  we  passed  through  Sunda  Strait  into  the 
Banda  Sea.  Here  the  sea  was  calm,  but  the  tem- 
perature of  the  atmosphere  extremely  hot,  which, 
of  course,  we  expected,  being  so  near  the  Equator. 
After  sailing  150  miles  in  the  Banda  Sea,  we  entered 
the  Strait  of  Manipa,  and  found  ourselves  skirting 
the  Island  of  Amboyna,  which  is  thirty  miles  long 
and  thirty  broad.  The  elevation  of  its  highest 
peak  is  4,008  feet ;  it  belongs  to  the  Dutch,  has  a 
resident  governor,  and  presents  the  appearance  of 
being  a  fertile  island.  Between  the  islands  of 
Manipa  and  Borneo  is  a  passage  fifteen  miles  in 
width,  whose  waters  are  said  to  be  500  fathoms 
deep.  We  next  passed  through  Baka  Strait.  The 
islands  on  either  side  of  this  passage  belong  to  the 
Dutch.  They  are  clothed  with  the  luxuriant  vege- 
tation of  the  tropics,  and  present  a  very  beautiful 
appearance. 

After  sailing  through  the  Basline  Passage  into 
the  Celebes  Sea,  we  found  ourselves  rapidly  near- 
ing  the  Philippine  Islands.  We  skirted  the  shore 
so  closely  for  many  miles  that  a  girl  could  throw  a 
stone  from  the  ship  to  the  mainland.  This  gave 
us  a  fine  opportunity  of  viewing  these  famous 
islands.  The  coast  was  lined  with  cocoanut  trees, 
and  all  sorts  of  tropical  plants  were  growing  in 
profusion.  The  sloping  hillsides  were  covered  with 
green  crops,  and  the  entire  landscape  looked  doubly 
beautiful  to  the  eye  wearied  of  the  waste  of  waters. 


Philippines  and  the  Celebes  Sea.  281 

We  passed  island  after  island,  each  clothed  in  lovely 
green,  the  luxuriant  vegetation  growing  clear  down 
to  the  water's  edge.  These  islands  seem  to  be 
favored  by  nature  in  every  respect ;  the  soil  is  fer- 
tile ;  the  climate  mild,  salubrious  and  healthful.  I 
felt  as  if  I  had  arrived  at  the  Mecca  of  the  South 
Pacific  Ocean. 

These  islands  belong  to  Spain,  and  are  chiefly 
colonized  by  that  nationality.  The  Spanish  Gov- 
ernment keeps  a  resident  governor  here,  and  at  all 
the  seaports  men-of-war  are  stationed  to  protect 
the  interests  of  the  government  and  her  subjects  in 
this  quarter  of  the  globe.  Notwithstanding  the 
fact  that  these  islands  are  so  well  favored  by  nature, 
and  so  jealously  guarded  by  the  Spanish  Govern- 
ment, by  far  the  larger  proportion  of  the  land  is 
uncultivated  and  unsettled.  The  government  is 
determined  that  the  people  of  no  other  nation  shall 
be  allowed  to  come  in  and  get  a  foothold  in  her 
Asiatic  possessions ;  consequently,  immigration  is 
not  encouraged,  and  these  beautiful  and  fertile 
islands  will  probably  be  sparsely  settled  for  many 
years  to  come.  Mindanao  Island  is  the  most 
southern  of  the  group. 

Leaving  the  Celebes  Sea,  we  sailed  through  the 
Sulu  Sea,  and  were  journeying  in  a  roundabout 
way  to  Singapore.  The  ocean  in  this  part  of  the 
world  is  full  of  islands,  capes,  peninsulas  and 
straits.     Want  of  space,  however,  will  prevent  me 


282  Around  the  World. 

from  mentioning  more  than  a  few  of  the  principal 
ones.  As  we  journeyed  leisurely  along,  many  times 
sailing  close  to  the  shore,  I  had  a  bird's-eye  view 
from  the  steamer  of  a  number  of  these  islands.  It 
was  a  matter  of  regret  to  me  that  I  was  unable  to 
have  more  than  a  passing  glance  of  the  Philippine 
Islands,  Borneo  and  New  Guinea.  I  would  have 
liked  very  much  to  pay  a  visit  to  each  of  these 
countries  to  gain  an  insight  into  the  manners  and 
customs  of  the  people,  and  learn  something  of  the 
resources  of  each  country.  As  it  was,  I  had  to 
content  myself  with  such  information  as  I  derived 
from  Captain  Ellis,  of  the  steamship  Airlie. 

Going  from  the  Philippine  Islands  to  Singapore, 
we  crossed  a  portion  of  the  China  Sea.  The  pass- 
age was  very  rough,  and  sea-sickness  prevailed  with 
the  majority  of  the  passengers.  I  was  no  longer 
troubled  with  this  disagreeable  malady,  and  was 
able  to  sit  back  and  laugh  at  my  less  fortunate 
companions.  I  had  had,  however,  the  advantage 
of  an  almost  continuous  sea  voyage  of  25,000 
miles  ;  and,  if  there  is  anything  in  the  old  maxim 
that  practice  makes  perfect,  I  ought  by  this  time 
to  have  become  a  pretty  good  sailor.  The  rock- 
ing of  the  steamer  in  the  heaviest  gale  produced 
no  more  impression  on  me  than  being  carried  by 
two  coolies  in  a  sedan  chair.  On  this  particular 
trip  the  sea  was  so  heavy  and  the  waves  ran  so 
higrh  that  the  water  dashed  clear  over  the  hurri- 


Singapore.  283 

cane  deck.  On  the  way  to  Singapore  we  passed 
near  Anger  Point,  on  the  coast  of  Java,  where  a 
terrible  earthquake  occurred  five  years  ago,  when 
the  island  of  Ancrer  Point,  including:  a  town  of 
30,000  inhabitants,  was  swallowed  up  in  the  sea. 

Singapore  is  situated  on  the  south  side  of  the 
Island  of  Singapore,  and  is  in  the  British  colony  of 
the  Straits  Settlements.  The  port  of  Singapore 
is  capacious,  and  the  water  deep  enough  for  the 
largest  vessels.  The  harbor  is  provided  with  every 
facility  for  an  extensive  commerce,  and  for  fitting 
out  and  repairing  vessels.  In  consequence  of  its 
geographical  position,  it  is  one  of  the  most  impor- 
tant ports  of  Asia,  and  is  resorted  to  by  the  vessels 
of  all  nations.  The  city  is  situated  on  a  low  plain 
fronting  the  harbor,  with  hills  in  the  rear,  which 
are  occupied  by  country  houses.  The  principal 
points  of  interest  are  the  fortifications,  the  Gov- 
ernment House  ;  the  Botanical  Gardens,  which 
have  a  magnificent  collection  of  tropical  plants ; 
the  Chinese  temple,  and  the  Mohammedan  mosques. 

The  Island  of  Singapore  lies  at  the  extreme 
southern  end  of  the  Malay  Peninsula,  from  which 
it  is  separated  by  a  strait  about  forty  miles  long 
by  from  one-half  mile  to  two  miles  wide.  This 
island  is  about  twenty-five  miles  long  from  east  to 
west,  and  about  twelve  miles  wide.  Near  the  coast 
are  swamp  tracts,  covered  with  mangrove  trees;  but 
inland  there  are  many  small  hills  from    100  to  500 


284  Around  the  World. 

feet  high.  The  climate  is  healthful ;  but,  owing  to 
its  nearness  to  the  Equator,  very  warm.  Rain 
falls  in  abundance.  Wild  animals  abound,  and 
tigers  are  said  to  cross  the  strait  to  the  island,  and 
carry  off,  on  an  average,  a  Chinaman  a  day. 

The  population  of  Singapore  numbers  about 
125,000.  It  consists  of  Europeans,  who  are  largely 
in  the  majority,  and  a  mixture  of  Asiatic  races. 
The  natives  are  indolent,  seem  to  be  entirely  lack- 
ing in  ambition,  wear  very  little  clothing  of  any 
kind,  and  the  highest  remuneration  they  receive  for 
work  of  any  description  is  a  sixpence  a  day. 

After  staying  two  days  in  Singapore,  we  steamed 
out  of  the  harbor,  bound  for  Hong-Kong,  a  distance 
of  900  miles.  In  crossing  the  China  Sea,  we  were 
treated  to  some  boisterous  gales,  and  a  storm,  which 
lasted  twenty-four  hours,  and  carried  away  two  of 
our  life-boats.  Once,  while  the  storm  was  at  its 
height,  I  waded  knee-deep  in  water  on  the  quarter 
deck.  Even  the  hurricane  deck  was  washed  by  the 
sea  from  stem  to  stern.  However,  the  powerful 
iron  steamer  plowed  its  way  through  the  raging 
billows,  and  landed  us  safely  on  the  shores  of  China. 
For  sixty  miles  before  arriving  at  Hong-Kong,  we 
were  skirting  the  Chinese  shore.  The  sea  in  this 
vicinity  was  dotted  with  fishing  boats.  The  waters 
of  the  Chinese  rivers  and  seas  are  teeming  with 
fish  ;  and  fishing  is  the  principal  industry  of  the 
people  who  live  along  the  coast. 


Hong-Kong.  285 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

CHINA,   FROM    HONG-KONG    TO    CANTON. 

Hong-Kong  is  situated  on  the  southeastern 
coast  of  China.  This  island  was  ceded  to  Great 
Britain,  and  is  considered  an  important  British 
possession.  It  is  one  of  a  small  cluster  of  islands 
called  by  the  Portuguese  "  Ladrones,"  or  "  Thieves," 
on  account  of  the  notorious  habits  of  the  old 
inhabitants.  This  island  has  an  area  of  twenty- 
nine  square  miles  ;  the  extreme  length,  from  north- 
east to  southeast,  is  ten  miles  and  a  half  ;  and  the 
breadth  varies  from  two  to  five  miles.  It  is  sep- 
arated from  the  mainland  by  a  narrow  channel, 
which  is  a  mile  wide  in  some  places,  and  in  others 
it  is  not  over  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  the  opposite 
shore.  The  capital,  which  is  called  Victoria,  is 
situated  on  the  northwestern  extremity  of  the 
island.  The  streets  are  wide  and  well  kept,  and 
the  buildings  are  mostly  of  brick  and  stone,  and 
are  greatly  superior  to  those  of  a  Chinese  city. 

Hong-Kong  owes  its  present  importance  prin- 
cipally to  its  financial  prominence  as  the  head- 
quarters of  the  banking  interest,  and  to  its  mag- 
nificent harbor,  which  appeared  to  me  to  be  almost 


286  Around  the  World. 

completely  landlocked.  Next  to  the  one  at  Syd- 
ney, this  harbor  is  probably  the  most  commodious 
and  secure,  and  here  vessels  are  anchored  from 
almost  every  part  of  the  world.  Prominent  among 
the  forest  of  masts  were  those  flying  the  American 
flag,  to  me  a  most  pleasant  sight,  as  it  brought 
anew  to  my  mind  memories  of  the  home  I  had 
left  behind,  and  which  was  still  7,000  miles  away. 
My  first  object  in  arriving  at  a  foreign  port  was  to 
get  a  glimpse  of  the  American  flag.  There  are  a 
few  American  residents  in  Honor-Kongr. 

The  harbor  presented  an  extremely  lively  appear- 
ance, and  the  Chinese  sampans  were  swarming  in 
every  direction.  These  boats,  from  twelve  to  fif- 
teen feet  long,  form  the  only  home  of  quite  a  num- 
ber of  families  who  live  on  the  Canton  River,  and 
every  child  large  enough  to  toddle  must  help  pull 
an  oar.  As  soon  as  our  steamer  cast  anchor,  we 
were  surrounded  by  hundreds  of  these  sampans, 
the  occupants  screaming  and  yelling,  each  trying 
to  get  the  largest  number  of  passengers  to  convey 
to  the  shore.  The  boat  in  which  I  happened  to 
get  was  manned  by  a  family  of  ten,  varying  in  age 
from  four  to  fifty.  The  old  man  was  occupied  in 
guiding  the  rudder  and  the  sail,  and  the  rest  of  the 
family,  from  the  wife  down  to  the  baby,  were  row- 
ing, each  provided  with  an  oar  suited  to  their  size 
and  strength. 

From    this    novel    experience    in    traveling    on 


First  Experience  in  a  Sedan  Chair.       287 

water,  I  was  to  meet  with  a  still  more  novel  one  in 
traveling  on  land.  On  coming  on  shore,  I  was 
immediately  surrounded  by  a  lot  of  half-naked 
coolies  with  their  sedan  chairs,  and  was  soon 
being  carried  through  the  streets  of  Hong-Kong 
by  two  Celestials,  who  took  me  to  the  leading  hotel 
of  the  city  for  ten  cents.  This  was  called  the 
Hong-Kong  Hotel,  and  I  was  charged  the  moder- 
ate price  of  five  dollars  per  day  for  accommoda- 
tions. The  "tone"  of  the  place  seemed  to  be  in 
the  price,  and  in  nothing  else.  Evidently  the 
Europeans  do  not  intend  to  reside  in  the  Orient 
for  nothing,  and  are  anxious  to  accumulate  fortunes 
rapidly. 

The  town,  including  the  Chinese  quarter,  ex- 
tends for  about  three  miles  alongr  the  shores  of  the 
bay,  and  has  a  steep  range  of  mountains  for  a 
background.  The  climate  is  a  little  warmer  than 
that  of  San  Francisco,  a  little  cooler  than  that  of 
Naples,  and,  with  the  exception  of  certain  seasons 
of  the  year,  is  considered  healthful.  There  are 
several  handsome  government  buildings,  a  large 
exchange,  a  cathedral,  the  bishop's  palace,  and  ex- 
tensive barracks.  There  are  also  ten  large  bank- 
ing houses  in  Hong-Kong.  The  houses  of  the 
merchants  are,  as  a  rule,  large  and  elegant,  with 
broad  verandas  built  all  around,  and  surrounded 
by  tasteful  gardens. 

Opium  is  imported  more  largely  at  Hong-Kong 


288  Around  the  World. 

than  at  any  other  port.  It  is  also  the  centre  of  an 
extensive  trade  in  silk,  chinaware,  nut  oil,  amber, 
ivory,  sugar  and  many  other  tropical  productions. 
You  find  in  circulation  here  the  silver  of  almost 
every  nation,  and  I  experienced  more  swindling  in 
making  exchanges,  and  saw  more  counterfeit  coin, 
than  in  any  other  port.  If  the  natives  are  behind 
other  countries  in  point  of  civilization,  they  are 
certainly  not  behind  any  other  people  in  the  art  of 
fleecing  the  unwary  stranger.  The  British  fleet 
is  stationed  in  the  harbor.  Vessels  come  and  go 
almost  daily  from  this  port  to  Bombay,  Calcutta, 
Singapore,  Canton,  Yokohama,  Sydney  and  San 
Francisco. 

Immediately  southwest  of  the  Capitol  is  Victoria 
Peak,  1,825  feet  in  height,  which  is  used  as  a  station 
for  signaling  the  approach  of  vessels.  After  inves- 
tigating the  leading  features  of  interest  in  the  city, 
I  decided  to  make  the  ascent  of  this  hill.  So  I 
procured  a  sedan  chair,  the  two  coolies  who  fur- 
nished the  motive  power  of  the  vehicle  agreeing  to 
carry  me  to  the  top  and  back  at  the  rate  of  ten 
cents  an  hour,  which  I  considered  much  cheaper 
and  better  than  walking.  The  ascent  was  steep 
and  rocky,  and  I  found  being  carried  in  this  man- 
ner pleasant,  and  more  comfortable  than  traveling 
on  foot.  Arriving  at  the  summit,  I  had  a  fine  view 
of  the  Chinese  coast  and  the  neighboring  islands. 
The    waters    of    the   sea   are   dotted  with  fishing 


Visiting  Macao.  289 

boats,  Chinese  sailing  vessels,  and  craft  of  every 
description.  Looking  inland,  the  prospect  is  wild 
and  monotonous.  The  hills  are  bare,  and  entirely 
devoid  of  trees,  and  nowhere  can  there  be  seen 
evidences  of  cultivation  or  fertility.  Patches  of 
land  along  the  coast  have  been  planted  to  rice, 
sweet  potatoes  and  yams  ;  but  the  island  is  hardly 
able  to  raise  vegetables  enough  to  supply  the  home 
consumption. 

The  streets  are  guarded  by  a  strong  force  of  In- 
dian Sepoys,  and  the  natives  are  not  allowed  to  go 
abroad  after  eight  o'clock  without  a  pass.  The 
most  common  mode  of  street  conveyance  is  by 
sedan  chairs,  which  are  carried  by  coolies.  The 
passage  across  the  Strait  of  Kan-lung  to  the  main 
shore  is  usually  effected  by  means  of  sampans. 

After  doing  Hong-Kong,  I  made  a  short  visit  to 
Macao,  thirty-eight  miles  distant.  The  intercourse 
between  Europe  and  China  began  in  151 7,  when 
the  King  of  Portugal  sent  an  ambassador  accom- 
panied by  a  Meet  of  eight  ships  to  Peking.  On 
this  occasion  the  Portuguese  ambassador  managed 
to  gain  the  friendship  of  the  Viceroy  of  Canton, 
and  made  an  advantageous  treaty  with  him.  This 
was  the  commencement  of  the  relations  of  China 
with  Europe.  Subsequently  the  Portuguese  ren- 
dered the  Chinese  a  signal  service  by  capturing  a 
famous  pirate  who  had  long  ravaged  their  coasts. 
In  gratitude  for  this  service,  the  Emperor  permitted 

19 


290  Around  the  World. 

them  to  establish  themselves  on  a  peninsula  formed 
by  some  sterile  rocks. 

On  this  spot  arose  the  city  of  Macao,  long  the 
mart  of  the  commerce  of  Europeans  with  the 
Celestial  Empire.  The  establishment  of  the  En- 
glish at  Hong-Kong  did  much  to  divest  it  of  its 
former  commercial  importance.  By  the  exclusive 
policy  of  both  the  Chinese  and  Portuguese,  Macao 
was  prevented  from  becoming  a  free  port  until  1845 
and  1846,  and  consequently  it  was  long  ago  out- 
stripped by  its  more  liberal  rivals.  The  trade  of 
this  city,  however,  is  still  of  very  considerable  ex- 
tent, its  principal  commercial  intercourse  being  with 
Hong-Kong,  Canton,  Batavia  and  Zoa.  The 
preparation  and  packing  of  tea  is  the  principal  in- 
dustry of  the  town.  The  most  of  the  land  is  under 
garden  cultivation  ;  but  the  majority  of  the  people 
are  more  or  less  dependent  upon  commercial  pur- 
suits. This  is  a  notorious  gambling  resort,  and  the 
colonial  revenue  is  largely  recruited  by  a  tax  on 
the  gaming  tables.  The  sports  and  young  bloods 
from  Hong-Kong  come  over  here  on  Sunday  ex- 
cursions, and  generally  manage  to  leave  the  larger 
proportion  of  their  cash  behind  when  they  return 
home.  With  its  flat-roofed  houses  painted  blue, 
red  and  green,  Macao  presents  a  very  picturesque 
appearance.  About  one-tenth  of  the  population 
are  of  European  birth  and  extraction  ;  the  balance, 
Chinese  and  half-castes. 


From  Hong-Kong  to  Canton.  291 


"«S    ■-•*»"%>> 


I  now  returned  to  Hong-Kong,  and  took  a  river 
steamboat  for  Canton.  There  were  four  Europeans 
on  board  besides  myself,  and  800  Chinese.  The 
four  Europeans  were  managers  of  the  English  pas- 
senger steamer,  which  appeared  to  do  a  rushing 
business.  This  steamboat  ride  proved  one  of  the 
most  interesting  experiences  in  my  inland  travel. 
There  are  rueeed  ranges  of  hills  on  either  side  of 
the  bay,  clothed  in  dark  green  foliage  from  their 
summits  down  to  the  water's  edge.  Steep  acclivities 
and  lofty  peaks  add  to  the  picturesqueness  of  the 
scene. 

The  Chinese,  on  this  seven-hours  trip,  occupied 
themselves  in  smoking  opium,  drinking  tea  and 
gambling.  Gaming  is  prohibited  in  China,  but  is 
nevertheless  carried  on  everywhere,  and  is  indulged 
in  by  old  and  young  with  a  passion  which  in  some 
instances  almost  amounts  to  madness.  All  legisla- 
tion on  this  subject  has  been  overpowered  by  the 
habits  of  the  people,  and  China  is,  in  fact,  one  vast 
gaming  house.  The  Chinese  are  industrious  and 
economical,  but  are  possessed  of  an  immoderate 
love  of  gain  and  a  taste  for  speculation,  which 
easily  tempts  them  to  gambling  when  not  engaged 
in  business.  The  habit  once  formed,  they  seldom 
recover  from  it.  They  cast  aside  every  obligation 
of  duty  and  family,  and  live  only  for  cards  and  dice. 
When  they  have  lost  all  their  money,  they  will  play 
for  their  homes,  their  lands,  their  wives,  and  some- 


292  Around  the  World. 

times  even  for  the  clothes  they  have  on.  This 
passion  for  gambling  has  invaded  all  classes  of  so- 
ciety, and  men,  women  and  children  all  play.  The 
lower  classes,  however,  are  the  most  inveterate  and 
determined  gamblers.  In  almost  every  street  of 
the  large  towns,  you  meet  little  ambulating  gaming 
tables,  with  a  pair  of  dice  placed  in  a  cup  upon  a 
stool,  which  prove  an  almost  irresistible  attraction 
to  the  workman  returning  from  his  daily  labor. 
Once  yielding  to  this  temptation,  he  ever  afterward 
finds  it  more  difficult  to  withstand  it,  and  often 
loses  the  whole  of  his  hard  earnings  in  a  few  hours. 

Twelve  miles  before  arriving  at  Canton,  we 
touched  at  Whampoa.  Only  steamers  are  allowed 
to  go  up  to  Canton  ;  sailing  vessels  are  restricted 
to  anchorage  here.  Owing  to  the  rise  of  the  tide 
and  the  nature  of  the  ground,  it  was  found  advan- 
tageous to  construct  docks  at  this  place.  Taking 
advantage  of  these  facilities,  large  numbers  of  for- 
eign vessels  enter  here,  and  their  cargoes  are  gen- 
erally transported  to  Canton  in  small  boats.  On 
arriving  at  Whampoa  a  lively  scene  ensued.  The 
river  from  bank  to  bank  was  lined  with  water  craft 
containing  Chinese  boatmen  and  boatwomen,  all 
yelling  and  screaming  to  attract  the  attention  of 
the  passengers  toward  their  respective  boats.  The 
scene  was  a  noisy  but  amusing  one. 

According  to  the  Chinese,  Canton  has  existed  as 
a  city  for   forty  centuries,  and  traces  are  found  of 


The  Walls  and  Gates.  293 

the  existence  of  a  city  on  this  site  twelve  hundred 
years  before  our  era.  Although  in  the  same  parallel 
of  latitude  as  Calcutta,  the  climate  is  much  cooler, 
and  is  considered  superior  to  that  of  most  places 
in  the  tropics.  Canton  is  situated  on  the  Canton 
or  Pearl  River,  about  eighty  miles  from  its 
mouth  and  ninety  miles  from  Hong-Kong.  This 
river  is  navigable  300  miles  further  into  the  inte- 
rior. The  part  of  Canton  enclosed  by  walls  is 
about  six  miles  in  circumference,  and  a  partition 
wall  runs  through  the  city  from  east  to  west,  divid- 
ing it  into  two  unequal  parts.  The  northern  and 
larger  division  is  called  the  old  city,  and  the  south- 
ern the  new  city.  The  walls  of  the  city  are  of 
brick,  and  are  about  twenty-five  feet  high  and 
twenty  feet  thick.  There  are  twelve  gates,  four  of 
which  are  in  the  partition  wall.  The  gates  are 
shut  all  night  :  in  the  day  a  guard  is  stationed  at 
each  to  preserve  order.  For  four  or  five  miles  op- 
posite Canton,  boats  are  ranged  parallel  to  each 
other  in  such  close  order  that  they  resemble  a  float- 
ing city.  These  boats  are  occupied  by  families, 
who  remain  almost  constantly  on  the  water. 

The  Chinese  Government  has  never  favored 
foreign  commerce,  and  Canton  was  for  a  long  time 
the  only  seat  of  British  trade  with  China.  It  was 
no  doubt  fixed  upon  by  the  Chinese  Government 
as  the  seat  for  European  trade,  on  account  of 
its   distance    from    Peking.      Formerly  only  a  lim- 


294  Around  the  World. 

ited  number  of  Chinese  merchants  were  allowed  to 
trade  with  foreigners,  and  they  were  usually  men 
of  large  property,  and  famed  for  the  integrity  of 
their  transactions.  All  foreign  cargoes  passed 
through  the  hands  of  these  merchants,  and  return 
cargoes  were  furnished  by  them.  They  became 
security  for  custom-house  duties,  and  it  was  crimi- 
nal for  any  other  merchant  to  engage  in  the  trade 
with  foreigners.  The  foreign  trade  with  Canton 
was  naturally  damaged  by  the  opening  of  Shang- 
hai and  the  ports  on  the  Yang-tse  ;  but  still  it  re- 
mains of  considerable  importance. 

Probably  one  reason  why  the  Chinese  care  so 
little  for  foreign  commerce  is  that  their  internal 
trade  is  so  extensive.  It  employs  vessels  of  all 
kinds  and  sizes,  which  are  constantly  traversing  the 
rivers  and  canals,  by  which  the  empire  is  watered 
throughout  its  whole  extent.  This  trade  consists 
principally  in  the  exchange  of  grain,  salt,  metal, 
and  the  productions  of  the  various  provinces. 
China  is  such  a  vast  country,  and  its  resources 
are  so  varied,  that  its  internal  trade  alone  is  abun- 
dantly sufficient  to  occupy  that  part  of  the  nation 
which  is  devoted  to  mercantile  pursuits.  The 
channels  of  communication,  though  oftentimes 
inconvenient,  are  always  thronged  with  merchan- 
dise, which  is  carried  in  boats,  on  carts,  on  the 
backs  of  men  and  on  beasts  of  burden. 

The    European   settlement   in   Shamein   is   con- 


Suburbs  of  Canton.  295 

nected  with  Canton  by  two  bridges.  On  the  con- 
clusion of  peace,  in  1861,  it  became  necessary  to 
provide  a  foreign  settlement  for  merchants  whose 
factories  had  been  destroyed,  and  it  was  finally  de- 
cided to  appropriate  as  the  British  settlement  an 
extensive  mud-flat,  known  as  the  Shamein.  This 
site  having  been  leased,  it  was  converted  into  an 
artificial  island  by  building  around  it  a  massive 
embankment  of  granite.  Between  the  northern 
side  of  the  site  and  the  Chinese  suburbs,  a  canal 
100  feet  wide  was  constructed,  thus  forming  an 
island  1 2,850  feet  long  by  950  wide.  The  Shamein 
settlement  possesses  many  advantages.  It  is  close 
to  the  western  suburbs  of  Canton,  where  all  the 
wholesale  dealers  and  the  principal  merchants 
reside.  It  faces  a  broad  channel,  known  as  the 
Macao  Passage,  up  which  blows  a  cool  breeze  in 
summer;  and  the  river  opposite  it  affords  a  safe 
and  commodious  anchorage  for  steamers  of  1,000 
tons  burthen. 

As  I  have  mentioned  before,  some  months  prior 
to  my  visit  to  China  the  French  and  Chinese  had 
had  a  difficulty,  in  which  Admiral  Courbet  sank 
eleven  Chinese  ships,  and  at  the  present  time  it 
was  unsafe  for  any  Frenchman  to  enter  the  interior 
of  China.  As  the  Chinese  are  always  more  or  less 
hostile  to  foreigners,  I  was  warned  that  it  was  not 
considered  wise  for  tourists  to  try  to  visit  the  inte- 
rior until  the  bad  feeling  against  the  French  had 


296  Around  the  World. 

in  a  measure  subsided.  When  I  found  myself  the 
only  tourist  traveling  between  Hong-Kong  and 
Canton,  I  began  to  think  that  probably  the  appre- 
hensions of  danger  were  not  entirely  groundless. 
However,  I  had  come  to  China  with  the  intention 
of  visiting  the  country,  and  had  no  idea  of  con- 
tenting- mvself  with  a  view  of  the  outskirts  of  this 
great  empire.  Having  seen  Canton  outside  the 
wall,  I  was  possessed  with  an  overwhelming  desire 
to  see  the  city  inside  the  wall,  so  thought  I  would 
risk  being  mistaken  for  a  Frenchman,  rather  than 
go  away  without  seeing  some  of  the  country.  I 
consequently  procured  a  Chinese  guide,  and  sallied 
forth.  As  this  coolie  said  he  was  an  extra  good 
guide,  I  agreed  to  give  him  extra  wages,  and  we 
both  decided  that  seventy-five  cents  per  day  would 
be  a  fair  valuation  for  his  services. 

The  preliminaries  settled,  I  followed  my  Celestial 
guide  through  the  nearest  gate,  and  found  myself 
inside  the  walls  of  a  city  which  is  said  to  contain  a 
million  and  a  half  of  people.  I  found  my  guide 
able  to  speak  fairly  good  pigeon  English.  I 
watched  his  every  movement  very  closely,  as  I  did 
not  want  to  lose  him,  fearing-  I  might  not  be  able 
to  find  him  again.  The  people  all  looked  as  much 
alike  to  me  as  the  two  wheels  to  a  wagon  ;  but  my 
guide  guarded  me  very  closely,  as  I  represented 
seventy-five  cents  a  day  to  him ;  and,  as  he  was  to 
pilot   me  for  two  days,  he  seemed  to   consider  his 


The  Passport  Demanded.  297 

position  a  money-making  one.  So  we  botli  watched 
each  other, — he  anxious  not  to  lose  me  on  account 
of  the  money,  and  I  fearful  that,  if  I  lost  him,  I 
would  never  get  out  alive. 

Before  we  had  fairly  begun  our  sight-seeing,  I 
was  approached  by  some  dignified  Celestials  who 
demanded  my  passport,  which  was  readily  shown. 
They  desired  to  know  my  nationality,  what  I  was 
there  for,  etc.  I  informed  them  that  I  was  an 
American  citizen  traveling  for  pleasure,  to  which 
they  replied  that  America  and  China  were  like  two 
brothers,  and  that  I  could  go  where  I  pleased.  I 
made  little  comment  on  this  polite  speech,  but  at 
the  same  time  thought  that  I  would  be  willing  to 
be  a  brother  to  almost  anything  until  I  got  on  the 
outside  of  the  city.  As  I  was  a  stranger  rambling 
through  the  city,  without  any  white  companions,  I 
was  desirous  of  keeping  on  the  good  side  of  every- 
body. 

The  streets  of  Canton  are  very  narrow,  varying 
from  seven  to  ten  feet  in  width,  and  are  paved  with 
flat  granite  blocks.  The  houses  are  generally  small, 
seldom  consisting  of  more  than  two  stories,  and 
often  only  one  story  in  height.  They  are  generally 
built  of  adobe  or  brick,  are  without  verandas,  and 
entirely  open  in  front,  closed  only  by  suspended 
bamboo  screens.  The  windows  are  small,  and 
rarely  of  glass, — paper,  mica,  or  some  other  trans- 
parent substance  being  used.      The  roofing  consists 


298  Around  the  World. 

of  thin  tiles  laid  in  rows,  alternately  concave  and 
convex,  the  latter  overlapping  the  former.  The 
roofs  are  of  unequal  height,  as  there  is  a  Chinese 
superstition  to  the  effect  that  ill-luck  follows  eaves 
which  connect  with  each  other.  The  houses  gen- 
erally contain  from  three  to  six  rooms.  The 
dwellings  of  the  poorer  classes  are  seldom  more 
than  mud  hovels  containing  but  a  single  room. 

In  the  busy  part  of  the  city  every  house  is  a 
shop,  and  here  we  found  the  productions  of  every 
part  of  the  globe.  The  Chinese  are  remarkably 
expert  men  of  business.  After  passing  miles  of 
shops,  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  Canton  must 
be  one  of  the  wealthiest  cities  in  the  world,  as  well 
as  one  of  the  most  interesting-.  There  is  a  striking 
contrast  between  the  poverty-stricken  coolies  and 
the  better  classes.  The  former  have  the  appear- 
ance of  having  a  hard  time  to  eke  out  an  existence. 
They  live  in  miserable  hovels,  and  amble  through 
the  streets  about  three-fourths  naked,  carrying 
heavily  loaded  baskets  filled  with  bones,  rags,  and 
truck  of  every  description.  These  baskets  are  car- 
ried by  the  means  of  a  pole  stretched  across  the 
shoulders.  The  streets  are  so  narrow  that  they 
are  impassable  for  carriages,  the  only  vehicles  used 
being  sedan  chairs  carried  by  the  coolies.  These 
are  found  in  immense  numbers,  and  offer  their 
services  at  very  low  rates.  The  city  is  divided  into 
quarters  for  the  various   kinds  of  business,  almost 


300  Around  the  World. 

every  trade  or  occupation  having  its  own  separate 
quarter.      Provisions  of  all  kinds  are  abundant  and 

» 

cheap. 

Few  large  cities  can  compare  with  Canton  in 
point  of  salubrity  of  climate.  The  temples  and 
public  buildings  are  numerous  ;  but  few  of  them 
present  features  worthy  of  special  remark.  The 
temples  are  much  more  attractive  inside  than  out, 
as  they  are  not  stately  and  imposing  like  those  of 
Japan  and  India.  In  fact,  there  are  not  many  im- 
posing buildings  in  Canton.  Chinese  taste  does 
not  seem  to  move  in  that  direction.  The  space  in 
front  of  the  temples  is  generally  occupied  by  beg- 
gars, hucksters  and  idlers,  many  of  them  most 
pitiful-looking  specimens  of  humanity.  By  the 
way  they  stared  at  me  and  followed  me  around,  I 
must  have  been  almost  as  much  of  a  curiosity  to 
them  as  they  were  to  me. 

The  first  objects  that  would  probably  attract  the 
attention  of  a  stranger  on  entering  Canton  are  the 
two  pagodas  which  are  situated  near  the  western 
gate  of  the  old  city.  One  of  these,  called  the  plain 
pagoda,  is  about  i.ooq.  years  old,  and  rises  in  an 
angular,  tapering  tower  to  the  height  of  160  feet. 
The  other,  an  octagonal  pagoda,  has  nine  stories, 
is  170  feet  in  height,  and  was  erected  1,300  years 
ago. 

There  are  125  temples,  pavilions,  and  other 
religious  edifices  in  the  city.      I   believe  that  I   der 


The   Temples  of  Canton.  301 

rived  more  satisfaction  from  visiting  the  temples 
than  from  anything-  else.  The  most  important  one 
was  the  Temple  of  Five  Hundred  Gods,  or 
"Flowery  Forest,"  as  it  is  called,  remarkable  for 
the  great  number  of  colossal  wooden  figures  of  all 
colors,  with  grotesque  or  hideous  faces,  which  are 
arranged  in  close  order  around  the  walls  of  the 
room.      These  are  the  guardian  genii  of  China. 

The  Hall  of  Worship  is  sixty  feet  square,  and  in 
the  centre  is  a  gigantic  carved  statue,  in  a  sitting 
posture,  representing  Buddha.  It  was  quite  a 
sight  to  see  the  numerous  idols,  it  being  on  a 
grander  scale  than  anything  that  I  had  seen  in  the 
Orient. 

In  this  temple  I  also  saw  a  statue  of  Marco 
Polo,  whose  father  and  uncle  were  the  first  Euro- 
peans to  reach  China,  of  whom  we  have  any 
knowledge.  They  visited  it  in  1260,  meeting  with 
great  favor  from  Kublai,  the  reigning  Emperor, 
who  decided  to  send  them  back  as  his  envoys  to 
the  Pope,  with  letters  requesting  him  to  send  a 
large  body  of  educated  men  to  instruct  his  people 
in  Christianity.  The  brothers  returned  home  in 
1269,  and  found  that  Pope  Clement  IV.  had  died 
the  year  before,  and  no  new  pope  had  been  chosen. 
After  a  delay  of  two  years,  they  started,  not  with 
the  hundred  teachers,  as  requested  by  Kublai,  but 
with  two  Dominicans,  who  lost  heart  and  turned 
back   in  the   very  beginning  of  the   journey.     On 


802  Around  the  World. 

this  trip  they  took  young  Marco  with  them,  who,  at 
the  time  they  arrived  at  Shangtu,  in  the  spring  of 
i  275,  was  twenty-one  years  old.  Upon  his  arrival, 
Marco  Polo  applied  himself  diligently  to  the 
acquisition  of  the  language;  and  Kublai,  finding 
him  both  clever  and  discreet,  employed  him  in  the 
public  service,  and  sent  him  on  many  distant  mis- 
sions. As  the  years  rolled  by,  the  Polos  were 
anxious  to  return  home  ;  but  Kublai  was  unwilling 
to  let  them  go.  They  finally,  however,  effected 
their  departure,  and  returned  to  Venice  at  the  end 
of  the  year  1  295. 

The  Temple  of  Longevity  is  next  in  importance 
to  that  of  the  500  gods.  It  contains  three  pavil- 
ions, which  are  well  filled  with  statues  and  images, 
about  eighty  in  number  ;  and  also  a  colossal  statue 
in  wood,  representing  an  obese  old  man.  Here  is 
kept  a  family  of  storks,  which  are  daily  fed  by  the 
attendants.  The  other  temples  are  much  smaller 
affairs,  and  attract  little  attention  after  a  visit  to 
the  large  ones  which  I  have  just  described,  with 
the  exception  of  the  Buddhist  Temple  at  Honan. 
It  is  called,  in  Chinese,  Hai-chwang-eze,  or  the 
Temple  of  the  Ocean  Banner.  Its  grounds  cover 
about  seven  acres,  are  surrounded  by  a  wall,  and 
are  divided  into  courts,  gardens  and  burial  grounds, 
in  which  are  deposited  the  ashes  of  the  priests, 
whose  bodies  are  burned.  There  are  about  1 75 
priests  connected   with  this  establishment.      Near 


Idolatries  and  Superstitions.  303 

this  temple  are  undertaking  establishments,  a  fur- 
nace for  the  cremation  of  the  dead,  and  a  mau- 
soleum in  which  to  deposit  their  ashes.  The 
Temple  of  Trade  is  an  interesting  place  to  visit 
during  the  Chinese  New  Year,  when  one  can  wit- 
ness all  the  pomp  and  ceremony  attendant  upon 
that  occasion.  All  sorts  of  relics  can  be  seen,  from 
a  bronze  monkey  to  a  sacred  pig. 

Another  interesting  temple  is  the  Temple  of  the 
Sages,  which  contains  seventy  bronze  images  of 
Confucius,  and  wax  candles  and  incense  are  kept 
burning  constantly.  Certain  days  of  each  year  are 
set  apart  as  a  time  in  which  to  do  honor  to  the 
memory  of  Confucius.  The  Temple  of  Confucius 
is  of  oreat  sjze>  The  Chinese  have  some  extraor- 
dinary  ideas  or  superstitions  in  regard  to  their 
gods.  For  instance,  they  sometimes  worship  two 
Joshes,  a  good  Josh  and  a  bad  Josh  ;  and  they  will 
do  more  honor,  and  make  more  sacrifices,  to  the 
bad  than  to  the  good, —  and  why?  They  will  tell 
you  that  it  is  because  the  good  one  will  do  no 
harm  anyway,  while  it  is  necessary  to  placate  the 
bad  one,  and  keep  him  from  sending  you  to  de- 
struction ;  so  they  worship  him  with  a  great  deal 
of  pomp  and  ceremony. 

Statues  of  the  most  famous  personages  in  the 
history  of  China  are  seen  in  the  temples.  Theat- 
rical performances  are  sometimes  given  in  the  front 
part  of  the  temples,  the  charge  for  admission  being 


304  Around  the  World. 

ten  cash,  or  one  cent.  The  music  at  one  of  these 
theatres  is  of  the  silliest  and  most  monotonous 
sort,  and  there  are  seldom  over  two  or  three  per- 
formers. To  me  the  most  ludicrous  feature  of  the 
entertainment  was  the  loud  and  frequent  laughter 
and  applause,  when  there  seemed  nothing  to  laugh 
at.  Another  peculiarity  is,  that  the  performances 
seemed  to  be  all  alike.  However,  I  have  never 
regretted  the  ten  cash  invested  in  Chinese  theatres. 

The  narrow  thoroughfares  are  all  more  or  less 
dark  and  gloomy,  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  streets 
are  so  narrow,  and  the  houses  so  close  together. 
In  some  instances,  the  upper  stories  of  the  houses 
are  built  out  over  the  street,  and  this  excludes  the 
light  almost  altogether. 

There  is  generally  a  thorough  understanding 
between  merchants  and  guides,  to  the  effect  that 
the  latter  are  to  aid  the  former  all  they  can  in  the 
way  of  bringing  tourists  to  their  shops.  As 
European  and  American  travelers  generally  invest 
largely  in  costly  articles  and  numerous  curiosities, 
as  mementoes  of  their  journey,,and  as  presents  for 
the  friends  at  home,  it  is  quite  an  item  to  secure 
this  patronage.  The  shops  are  all  filled  with  costly 
wares,  such  as  silks,  lacquered  goods,  porcelain, 
ivory  and  curios  of  all  kinds  and  descriptions.  I 
noticed  that  my  guide,  in  taking  me  around  the 
city,  never  missed  an  opportunity  of  dragging  me 
into  one  of  his  favorite  shops  to  make  purchases. 


In  Search  of  Strange  Sights.  305 

The  guide  is  always  supposed  to  make  his  own 
commissions  in  the  shape  of  an  extra  squeeze  of 
the  traveler's  pocket.  Even  the  coolies  who  car- 
ried my  sedan  chair  would  occasionally  stop  in 
front  of  some  imposing  shop  to  gladden  the  heart 
of  their  merchant  friend  with  a  sight  of  the  traveler, 
thinking,  perhaps,  he  could  be  induced  to  buy  some 
of  the  beautiful  wares  that  are  displayed  ;  but  I 
turned  out  to  be  a  visitor  in  search  of  strange  sights, 
instead  of  a  purchaser  of  curiosities ;  so,  after  a 
brief  glance  at  the  tempting  display,  I  would  invite 
my  coolie  team  to  move  on. 

The  majority  of  the  people  of  China  seem  to 
have  less  enjoyment  and  pleasure  than  the  people 
of  any  other  country  I  have  visited.  You  seldom 
see  them  idle  their  time  away,  or  indulge  in  any 
pastime  except  that  of  gambling.  They  rather 
seem  to  drag  out  a  dreary,  monotonous  existence, 
which  mainly  consists  in  working,  paying  taxes  and 
dying.  I  verily  believe,  from  what  I  saw  of  them, 
that  the  Chinese  are  the  most  industrious  race 
under  the  sun.  It  is  work,  work,  work,  on  land  or 
on  water ;  no  rest,  no  recreation,  no  play, — always 
work. 

Prominent  among  the  industries  of  Canton  are 
the  weaving  of  silks  and  other  stuffs  ;  the  manu- 
facture of  porcelain,  screens,  umbrellas,  ivory  fans 
and  many  articles  too  numerous  to  mention.  These 
employ  thousands  of  hands,  and  the  products  are 
20 


306  Around  the  World. 

sold  at  the  lowest  prices.  There  are  no  large 
manufacturing  establishments,  the  workmen  either 
working  at  home  or  in  small  companies.  The  com- 
pensation  they  receive  generally  varies  from  twelve 
to  twenty-five  cents  per  day. 

The  rich  in  China  make  little  display  of  their 
wealth.  In  fact,  they  rather  try  to  conceal  it  ;  for 
the  government  has  never  favored  the  accumulation 
of  money  or  power  in  the  hands  of  the  people. 
The  lecral  rate  of  interest  has  been  fixed  by  the 
government  at  thirty  per  cent,  per  annum.  There 
are  many  reasons  assigned  for  this  by  Chinese 
economists,  one  of  which  is  that,  since  money  has 
borne  this  high  rate  of  interest,  no  one  thinks  of 
hoarding  it,  and  the  circulation  of  it  has  been  more 
general  and  continual.  Another  is  that  the  pur- 
pose was  to  prevent  the  value  of  land  from  increas- 
ino-  and  that  of  money  from  diminishing;  and  that, 
in  fixing  it  at  a  high  rate,  it  has  endeavored  to 
render  the  distribution  of  land  proportional  to  the 
number  of  families,  and  the  circulation  of  money 
more  active  and  uniform. 

The  cultivators  of  the  soil  in  China  are  extremely 
poor,  never  accumulating  capital.  This  may  be 
owing  to  the  land  laws,  although  they  correspond 
to  some  of  the  advanced  ideas  of  modern  agrarian 
theorists.  All  waste  lands  belong  to  the  crown; 
but  any  one  who  brings  them  under  cultivation 
acquires  a  clear  title,  and  can  freely  dispose  of  the 


Tenants  and  Rents.  307 

/ 

property.  The  property  of  a  deceased  person 
passes  to  his  male  children  in  equal  shares,  and  can 
not  be  bequeathed  away  from  them.  The  greater 
part  of  the  soil  is  owned  in  small  tracts  varying 
from  five  acres  down  to  one-sixth  of  an  acre.  The 
possession  of  ten  acres  is  considered  well  to  do, 
and  the  owner  of  an  estate  of  1,000  acres  is  con- 
sidered a  millionaire.  Over  two-thirds  of  the  land 
is  cultivated  by  tenants  on  the  half-profit  system, 
the  landlord  providing  the  houses  and  paying  the 
taxes;  and  the  cultivator  or  renter,  the  simple  im- 
plements and  his  labor.  One  bad  season  reduces 
these  tenants  to  beggary.  In  the  vast  territory  of 
the  Chinese  Empire,  some  district  is  stricken  by 
famine  nearly  every  year,  either  by  drouths,  floods, 
locusts,  or  in  consequence  of  an  insurrection. 

My  guide  was  very  talkative,  and  seemed  to  de- 
light in  my  questions  about  the  manners,  customs, 
habits  and  beliefs  of  his  people.  He  informed  mc, 
with  a  great  deal  of  pride,  that  the  Chinese  were 
the  greatest  and  oldest  nation  on  earth,  and  seemed 
to  consider  their  religion  a  great  improvement  on 
ours.  He  thought  their  gods,  made  with  their  own 
hands,  much  better  and  purer  than  our  unseen  God. 
Their  superstitions  and  religion,  or  rather  want  of 
religion,  is  the  outgrowth  of  centuries  of  unbelief 
and  idolatrous  worship.  Missionary  work  in  China 
has  not  been  attended  with  the  same  success  that 
it  has  experienced   in  Japan  and   India  ;    for  the 


308  Around  the  World. 

Chinese  are  not  so  receptive  as  these  nations,  and, 
as  a  matter  of  fact,  are  completely  indifferent  to 
religious  matters.  The  government  does  not  favor 
Christianity  ;  they  look  with  suspicion  upon  the 
missionaries  and  their  teachings,  and  imagine  that, 
under  a  pretense  of  religion,  they  are  really  man- 
oeuvring to  overthrow  the  empire. 

The  Chinese  are  about  as  far  behind  civilization 
and  scientific  research  as  they  are  in  matters  of 
religion,  are  perfectly  satisfied  with  things  as  they 
are,  and  have  no  desire  for  improvement  or 
advancement.  They  have  no  railroads,  and  do  not 
want  any,  saying  that,  if  the  time  ever  comes  that 
they  should  want  them,  they  will  build  them  them- 
selves without  any  advice,  assistance  or  interference 
from  Europeans.  They  think  that  the  introduction 
of  modern  inventions  would  work  hardship  on  the 
laboring  classes,  as  it  would  deprive  them  of  em- 
ployment. 

My  guide  would  have  done  for  a  Mormon,  had 
he  lived  in  Utah,  as  he  told  me  he  had  three  wives, 
and  that,  as  soon  as  he  could  earn  eighty  dollars, 
he  would  buy  another.  A  wife,  he  said,  cost  any- 
where from  eighty  to  one  hundred  and  forty  dol- 
lars, according  to  her  age  and  beauty  ;  and  a  man 
is  privileged  to  have  as  many  wives  as  he  can 
afford  to  keep.  The  first  wife,  however,  is  always 
the  mistress  of  the  house,  and  the  others  are  sub- 
ordinate to  her. 


A  Novel  Bill  of  Fare.  309 

My  guide  took  me  for  a  promenade  on  the  high 
wall,  from  which  I  could  look  out  over  the  city, 
with  its  masses  of  low,  flat  houses  ;  could  see  the 
bustle  and  hear  the  yelling  and  screaming  of  the 
people  who  thronged  the  streets.  It  seemed  a 
veritable  Babylon. 

The  execution  ground  is  an  interesting  place  to 
visit.  Here  sometimes  twenty-five  or  thirty  crim- 
inals are  executed  at  once,  and  the  average  number 
of  criminals  beheaded  yearly  is  said  to  be  350. 
The  worst  class  of  criminals  are  cut  to  pieces  upon 
the  cross.  Shops  where  idols  are  made  and  re- 
paired, are  also  places  of  interest.  The  Arsenal, 
where  they  have  a  large  number  of  breech-loading 
guns,  presents  a  lively  scene,  for  400  Celestials  are 
kept  constantly  employed  here. 

Last,  but  not  least,  I  was  taken  to  a  Chinese 
restaurant,  where  everything  was  served  in  regular 
Chinese  style.  The  bill  of  fare  consisted  of  dainty 
dishes,  such  as  bird's-nest  'soup,  sweetmeats,  roast 
cat,  shark's  fins,  raw  fish,  roast  frog,  rice  and  tea, 
for  which  we  had  neither  sugar  nor  milk.  I  par- 
took freely  of  the  tea,  and  sparingly  of  the  roast 
cat.  This  is  a  fair  sample  of  the  edibles  at  a 
Chinese  restaurant  or  hotel.  There  are  no  Euro- 
pean hotels  inside  the  wall  in  Canton. 

Another  great  industry  in  Canton,  which  I  had 
almost  forgotten  to  mention,  is  the  tea-drying  estab- 
lishments, where  teas  are  cured  and  colored.     The 


310  Around  the  World. 

tea  production  is  one  of  the  most  important  of  the 
resources  of  China,  and  a  million  and  a  half  tons 
of  tea  are  produced  annually.  This  gives  employ- 
ment to  thousands  of  people,  as  the  tea  goes  through 
a  number  of  processes  from  the  time  it  is  gathered 
until  it  is  ready  for  the  market.  The  cultivation 
of  rice  probably  ranks  next  in  importance  to  that 
of  tea,  and  these  two  products  form  the  chief  staple 
of  food  of  the  Chinese.  The  cultivation  of  rice 
is  similar  to  that  of  grain,  although,  unless  grown 
on  damp,  marshy  ground,  it  has  to  be  irrigated. 

Canton  is  situated  in  the  Province  of  Kwang-tung, 
which  is  one  of  the  most  productive  in  the  empire. 
In  addition  to  the  cultivation  of  tea  and  rice,  silk 
is  produced  in  the  district  forming  the  river  delta, 
which  extends  from  Canton  to  Macao.  Sugar  is 
orown  on  the  banks  of  all  the  rivers,  and  at  Lo- 
ting.  1 50  miles  east  of  Canton,  matting,  fire-crackers, 
sugar  and  palm-leaf  fans  are  annually  exported  to 
the  number  of  four  or  five  million  to  New  York 
alone.      Three  large  coal  fields  exist  in  this  province. 

The  highest  official  in  Canton  is  the  Tsoung-tow, 
or  Governor-General,  called  Viceroy  by  the  Euro- 
peans. He  is  appointed  by  the  Emperor  for  a 
term  of  three  years,  and  his  jurisdiction  extends 
over  the  Province  of  Kwang-tung  and  Kwang-se. 
There  is  also  a  Fou-youen,  or  Sub-Governor.  The 
Tsoune-tow  has  the  general  control  of  all  the  civil 
and  military  affairs.     The   Fou-youen  exercises  a 


Dwarfing  the  Feet.  311 

similar  kind  of  authority,  but  is  more  especially 
charged  with  the  civil  administration. 

A  peculiar  custom  in  China  is  that  the  aristocracy 
keep  their  women  in  seclusion.  They  rarely  leave 
their  residences,  and  are  seldom  seen  in  the  shops. 
When  it  becomes  necessary  for  them  to  go  from 
one  place  to  another,  they  are  transported  through 
the  streets  in  a  sedan  chair,  or  jinrikishia,  with 
their  faces  entirely  concealed  from  view  by  a  heavy 
veil.  You  will  hardly  ever  see  a  woman  on  foot  in 
the  streets  of  a  Chinese  city,  unless  she  belongs  to 
the  coolie  order.  One  of  the  strangest  and  most 
usual  customs  which  prevail  among  the  upper 
classes  is  the  habit  of  compressing  the  feet  of  the 
women,  a  fashion  dating,  it  is  said,  from  the  highest 
antiquity.  From  the  time  a  little  girl  is  born,  her 
feet  are  compressed  with  tight  bandages,  which 
hinder  their  growth.  Girls  whose  feet  have  not 
been  properly  tortured  by  bandages  in  infancy  find 
it  no  easy  matter  to  get  married,  especially  if  they 
are  ambitious  to  marry  a  person  of  high  rank.  It 
is  looked  upon  as  a  disgrace  in  China  to  be  an  old 
maid.  The  women  of  the  lower  class  are  not  so 
particular  about  the  size  of  their  feet,  and  there  are 
probably  many  coolie  women  who  have  never  had 
shoes  on  their  feet. 

Women  are  considered  inferior  beings  in  China, 
and  have  to  endure  all  kinds  of  privation,  contempt 
and  degradation.     When   a  son   is  born,   there  is 


312  Arotmd  the  World. 

great  rejoicing  ;  but  the  birth  of  a  daughter  is  often 
regarded  as  a  humiliation  and  disgrace  to  the  family. 
A  man  is  everything  ;  a  woman,  nothing.  A  young 
Chinese  girl  lives  shut  up  in  the  house  where  she 
was  born,  and  is  treated  by  everybody  as  a  menial. 
She  is  not  taught  to  read  or  to  write,  her  sole  edu- 
cation consisting  in  learning  how  to  use  the  needle. 
When  she  is  old  enough  to  be  married,  her  husband 
is  selected  for  her  by  her  parents.  She  is  never 
consulted,  oftentimes  does  not  even  know  the  name 
of  the  man  she  is  to  marry.  A  young  girl  is  simply 
an  object  of  traffic,  a  piece  of  merchandise,  to  be 
sold  to  the  highest  bidder. 

In  many  parts  of  China,  female  children  are 
drowned  or  suffocated  soon  after  they  are  born. 
There  are  numerous  reasons  for  this  ;  but  the 
principal  cause  is  the  poverty  of  the  parents.  The 
birth  of  a  male  child  is  looked  upon  as  a  blessing, 
as  a  boy  is  soon  able  to  work  and  help  his  parents, 
who  rely  upon  him  as  a  main*  support  in  their  old 
age.  A  girl,  on  the  contrary,  is  regarded  as  a  mere 
burden.  In  certain  localities,  where  the  cultivation 
of  cotton  and  the  silk-worm  industry  furnish  young 
girls  with  suitable  occupation,  they  are  allowed  to 
live,  and  their  parents  are  even  unwilling  to  see 
them  marry.  Self-interest  is  the  supreme  motive 
of  all  Chinese. 

After  spending  several  days  in  Canton,  in  which 
time  I  devoted  myself  to  seeing  the  strange  sights, 


The  Ruj-al  Districts.  313 

and  finding  out  what  I  could  in  regard  to  the  man- 
ners, customs  and  social  usages  of  this  peculiar 
people,  I  made  arrangements  to  visit  the  rural  dis- 
tricts, as  I  wished  to  see  something-  of  the  interior 
of  China,  outside  of  the  great  cities.  The  first 
step  in  this  direction  was  to  hire  a  couple  of  coolies 
and  a  sedan  chair,  and  I  was  soon  carried  out 
among  the  rice  fields  and  tea  plantations.  I  also 
visited  the  silk  districts.  This  is  a  peculiarly  pro- 
ductive and  fruitful  region,  and  the  whole  country 
looks  like  a  garden.  The  land  is  under  the  hio-hest 
state  of  cultivation,  and  every  nook  and  corner  is 
well  fertilized,  irrigated,  and  covered  with  a  vigor- 
ous growth  of  vegetation.  Tropical  fruits  attain 
the  highest  perfection.  The  oranges,  for  example, 
though  smaller  than  the  Los  Angeles  orange,  were 
the  sweetest  and  best  flavored  of  any  I  have  ever 
eaten.  Everywhere  could  be  seen  instances  of  the 
untiring  industry  and  energy  of  the  Chinese.  All 
manual  labor  is  done*  by  hand,  and  no  machinery  is 
used,  either  in  planting  or  gathering  their  crops. 
Much  of  the  land  is  so  fertile,  and  cultivated  with 
so  much  care  and  skill,  that  three  harvests  a  year 
are  regularly  gathered. 

Next  to  rice,  silk  and  tea,  probably  the  most 
valuable  production  of  China  is  the  bamboo,  which 
yields  a  large  revenue.  The  uses  to  which  it  is 
applied  are  many  and  important.  There  are  sixty- 
three  varieties  of  bamboo  in  the  Chinese  Empire, 


314  Around  the  World. 

and  a  bamboo  forest  will  yield  a  considerable 
revenue  if  the  owner  understands  how  to  regulate 
the  cutting.  The  cultivation  of  useful  vegetables 
is  an  industry  to  which  the  Chinese  have  always 
been  especially  devoted,  and  has  always  attracted 
the  attention  and  received  the  encouragement  of 
the  government. 

Of  all  my  journeyings  in  China,  I  found  traveling 
on  the  rivers  the  liveliest  and  most  amusing-,  The 
bays  and  rivers  are  all  whitened  with  water  craft  of 
every  kind  and  description,  and  the  water,  if  any- 
thing, seems  to  be  more  populous  than  the  towns. 
The  boats  are  built  in  all  sorts  of  fantastic  shapes, 
— some  like  houses,  others  shaped  like  a  fish  ;  and 
all  sorts  of  extraordinary  figures  have  been  chosen 
for  models.  Some  are  of  the  rudest  construction, 
and  others  fitted  up  with  considerable  pretensions 
to  elegance.  These  boats  cruise  around  inces- 
santly, without  ever  coming  into  collision  with  each 
other,  and  their  skill  in  this  respect  is  really  won- 
derful ;  but,  then,  they  are  born,  live  and  die  upon 
the  water. 

Everything  necessary  for  subsistence  can  be 
found  upon  these  boats.  Some  are  nothing  more 
nor  less  than  provision  shops;  others  are  small 
bazaars;  and  the  occupants  of  others  are  busily 
engaged  in  selling  fruit,  flowers,  fresh  fish,  soup, 
rice,  cakes,  and  many  articles  too  numerous  to  men- 
tion.    To   add   to   the   confusion  of    the  scene  at 


Meagre  Pay  and  Cheap  Living.  315 

night,  they  were  incessantly  beating  the  tom-tom 
and  letting  off  fire-crackers.  This  river  population, 
however,  does  not  enjoy  a  very  enviable  reputation 
for  intelligence,  honesty  or  morality.  It  was  a 
matter  of  wonder  to  me,  at  first,  how  they  man- 
aged to  keep  their  little  children  from  being 
drowned  ;  but  I  soon  discovered  how  they  did  it. 
They  would  tie  a  rope  to  the  child's  arm  or  body, 
and  fasten  the  other  end  to  the  boat,  or  else  they 
would  tie  an  empty  bottle,  or  some  other  hollow 
vessel  that  would  answer  in  place  of  a  life- 
preserver,  to  the  child's  body.  Accidents  to  these 
children  are  almost  unknown  ;  they  are  apparently 
not  born  to  be  drowned. 

As  another  illustration  of  how  poorly  labor  is 
remunerated  in  China,  I  will  state  that  on  one 
occasion  I  had  a  dozen  shirts  washed  and  ironed 
on  one  of  these  river  craft,  for  which  they  charged 
me  the  small  sum  of  thirty  cents.  The  Chinese 
have  reduced  the  cost  of  living  to  the  lowest  pos- 
sible figure,  and  an  entire  family  can  subsist 
comfortably,  and  have  fish,  rice,  tea  and  vegeta- 
bles for  ten  cents  per  day.  In  the  southern 
provinces  the  climate  is  warm  and  balmy,  and  very 
little  clothing  is  needed  for  comfort,  even  in  the 
winter  months,  and  very  little  is  worn  by  the  lower 
classes.  In  mid-winter  you  will  see  people  almost 
destitute  of  clothing. 

In   the    interior    of    China  there    are   extensive 


816  Around  the  World. 

timber  regions  ;  but  no  effort  has  ever  been  made 
to  protect  these  forests,  and  they  are  fast  disappear- 
ing. That  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  however, 
when  civilized  people  in  our  own  country  are  de- 
nuding our  mountains  of  their  magnificent  growths 
of  timber  in  the  most  reckless  manner,  and  no 
effort  is  made  to  stop  this  vandalism.  In  swampy 
lands  grow  willow  and  bamboo,  which  are  exten- 
sively used  in  the  manufacture  of  furniture.  China 
is  also  rich  in  mineral  deposits ;  but  for  many 
reasons  this  resource  has  never  been  developed. 
They  have  not  the  requisite  facilities,  and  transpor- 
tation, except  along  the  lines  of  the  rivers  and 
canals,  is  exceedingly  slow  and  tedious.  There 
are  vast  pastoral  regions  in  China;  but  very  little 
attention  is  paid  to  stock-raising,  and  the  horses 
are  small,  and  not  so  valuable  as  those  found  in 
other  countries. 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  the  resources  of  China 
are  vast  and  various,  and,  in  addition  to  the  va- 
riety of  its  natural  productions,  it  possesses  an 
inestimable  boon  in  the  industry  of  its  inhabitants. 
The  Chinese  Government  does  not  know  how  to 
turn  to  account  the  immense  resources  of  the  em- 
pire. Should  the  day  ever  come  that  this  land 
shall  have  a  wise  and  judicious  ruler,  one  who  is 
animated  by  a  zeal  for  the  public  good,  and  has 
patience  enough  to  guide  this  industrious  people 
into   new  and    untried   fields  of   labor,  the   condi- 


Coolie   Tandem    Team.  317 

tion  of  the  lower  classes  will  be  considerably 
ameliorated. 

In  the  interior  of  China,  off  from  the  line  of  the 
water-courses  and  canals,  and  especially  in  the 
mountainous  districts,  the  roads  are  very  rough 
and  narrow,  and  in  the  remoter  regions  are  more 
like  trails  than  roads.  On  bad  roads,  the  sedan 
chair,  or  palanquin,  is  much  used,  and  is  the  most 
comfortable  conveyance.  A  team  of  four  coolies 
can  travel  at  the  rate  of  six  miles  an  hour.  On 
good  roads  the  two-wheeled  jinrikishia  is  the  pref- 
erable conveyance,  the  motive  power  generally 
being  a  tandem  team  of  two  coolies,  although 
occasionally  in  some  districts  a  horse  is  used. 

The  following  was  written  from  Canton  to  the 
Modesto,  Cal.,  Herald: 

LETTER   FROM   CANTON. 

Canton,  China,  Dec.  24,  1885. 

Editor  Herald: — Since  the  last  notes  I  sent  you  from  India,  I  have 
traveled  some  15,000  miles  more  on  the  Orient  side  of  the  globe.  I  came 
over  the  Indian  Ocean,  around  to  Australia.  This  was  a  pleasant  journey 
with  a  calm  sea.  In  Australia  I  traveled  about  6,000  miles  by  land  and 
water.  In  the  interior  I  went  by  railway  1,200  miles,  including  the  principal 
portions  of  her  farming  and  mineral  districts,  and  in  many  respects  I  found 
Australia  to  be  a  poor  country,  especially  in  the  line  of  agriculture.  The 
last  four  years  have  been  a  succession  of  drouths,  and  have  been  severely 
felt  by  sheep  and  stock  men,  as  well  as  teamsters.  Harvest  had  just  com- 
menced when  I  was  there,  but  it  will  only  be  small  strips  of  grain  that  will 
be  cut.  The  best  I  saw  was  in  Adelaide  and  Melbourne  valleys  and  in  Vic- 
toria; but  these  had  poor  impression  on  my  mind  favorable  to  an  agricultural 
country  New  South  Wales  and  Queensland,  in  many  parts,  were  dry  as  a 
bone,  and  destitute  of  vegetation.  Water-courses  had  run  dry,  and  a  great 
number  of  stock  had  perished,  and  the  balance  was  on  the  brink  of  starvation. 


318  Around  the  World. 

Australia  will  have  to  import  wheat  largely  this  year  from  New  Zealand  or 
other  places  ;  but  the  rise  and  fall  in  wheat  does  not  trouble  my  mind. 
Enjoying  sights  and  the  customs  and  manners  among  the  different  nations 
on  the  globe,  is  at  present  the  height  of  my  ambition. 

From  Australia  I  embarked  for  China  by  way  of  Torres  Strait, 
Manila,  and  the  Philippine  Islands.  Here  the  tropical  fruits  and  foliage  were 
growing  in  profusion.  The  green  hillsides  had  the  appearance  of  beautiful 
landscapes.  The  first  half  of  the  passage  was  the  hottest  since  I  crossed 
the  Red  Sea.  While  we  were  sailing  in  the  tropics,  over  the  Gulf  of  Carpen- 
taria, near  the  Equator,  it  was  10S  degrees  in  the  cabin  saloon.  This  seems 
warm  for  December;  but  it  had  to  be  endured.  The  last  part  of  this  voyage 
has  been  a  stormy  one  over  the  China  Sea.  The  rolling  waves  have  washed 
the  hurricane  decks  from  stem  to  stern.  However,  the  faithful  iron  steamer 
has  plunged  through  the  swell  of  the  sea,  and  anchored  us  safely  in  the 
Flowery  Kingdom. 

After  I  had  done  the  principal  sights  of  Hong-Kong,  I  took  a  steamer  up 
the  Pearl  River  ninety  miles  to  Canton,  the  Paris  of  China,  and  here  I 
expect  to  eat  my  bird's-nest  soup  to-morrow  for  Christmas  dinner.  I  have 
seen  many  curious  sights  in  Canton,  including  the  largest  temple,  with  its  500 
Joshes.  Here  I  had  to  ride  in  the  sedan  chairs  in  the  narrow  streets,  carried 
by  two  Chinamen,  but  found  it  cheaper  to  make  use  of  the  coolies'  legs 
than  to  wear  out  my  own.  Here  you  see  the  style  for  the  ladies  to  pinch 
their  feet  instead  of  Modestoans  who  pinch  their  waists. 

After  I  have  visited  all  the  leading  points  of  interest  in  the  Celestial 
Empire,  I  will  extend  my  tour  to  Japan,  and,  after  sightseeing  in  that 
country  to  my  satisfaction,  I  will  embark  for  San  Francisco  by  way  of  Hono- 
lulu, and  my  trip  around  the  world  will  be  about  50,000  miles,  or  long 
enough  to  have  earned  the  right  to  be  in  fellowship  with  other  "  Globe 
Trotters."     Truly  yours,  Osmun  Johnson. 


Chinese  Fishing  Fleets.  319 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

CHINESE    COAST    AND    SHANGHAI. 

Having  finished  my  tour  in  the  interior  of  China, 
I  returned  to  Hong-Kong,  where  I  embarked  for 
Shanghai  on  the  steamer  Thibet,  belonging  to  the 
P.  and  O.  Steamship  Company,  Captain  Moody 
commanding.  The  greater  part  of  the  voyage  we 
were  in  sight  of  the  China  shore.  Along  this  coast 
is  a  range  of  mountains,  or  hills,  apparently  desti- 
tute of  vegetation,  and  here  and  there  a  peak 
towering  high  above  the  level  of  the  others  adds  to 
the  picturesqueness  of  the  scene.  It  was  now  the 
typhoon  season,  and  we  met  with  a  heavy  gale 
which  sent  one  of  our  life-boats  into  the  boisterous 
sea.  This  storm,  however,  was  of  short  duration, 
and  we  did  not  feel  its  effects  so  much  as  if  we  had 
been  in  the  open  ocean,  instead  of  being  so  near 
the  coast.  Four  hundred  miles  from  Shanghai  is 
a  place  called  Turnabout,  which  is  a  diverging  place 
for  steamers. 

The  principal  objects  of  interest  on  this  route 
were  the  Chinese  fishing  fleets,  and  we  would  often 
see  as  many  as  fifty  of  these  boats  in  a  group. 
They  are  divided  off  into  pairs,  and  drift  leisurely 


320  Around  the  Woi'ld. 

along  until  their  boats  are  filled,  when  they  take 
their  cargo  to  one  of  the  principal  ports  and  dispose 
of  it.  The  fish  are  usually  either  dried  or  salted. 
As  the  Chinese  waters  are  teeming  with  all  kinds 
of  fish,  this  industry  forms  one  of  the  principal  re- 
sources of  the  people  along  the  coast,  and  they 
carry  it  on  the  year  around,  regardless  of  typhoons, 
monsoons,  or  any  of  the  perils  of  the  deep. 

The  principal  ports  at  which  we  touched  on  this 
voyage  were  Svvatow,  Foochow,  Ningpo  and  Amoy. 
These  are  regular  coaling  stations  for  the  different 
lines  of  steamers  that  ply  along  the  Chinese  coast. 
Boats  often  take  refuse  in  these  harbors  to  avoid 
being  shipwrecked  by  the  fearful  gales  which  pre- 
vail during  the  typhoon  season.  Swatow  is  a  sea- 
port town  in  the  Province  of  Kwang-tung.  It  has 
a  good  harbor,  and  carries  on  quite  an  extensive 
commerce. 

Amoy  is  in  the  Province  of  Fokien.  It  is  situ- 
ated on  the  slope  of  a  hill  on  the  southern  coast  of 
a  small  and  barren  island  ;  is  a  larcje  and  exceed- 
ingly  dirty  place,  about  nine  miles  in  circumference, 
and  is  estimated  to  have  a  population  of  250,000. 
Both  its  foreign  and  coast  trade  are  extensive  and 
valuable,  and  its  native  merchants  are  considered 
to  be  among  the  wealthiest  and  most  enterprising 
in  China.  Amoy  was  captured  by  the  British  in 
1 84 1,  and  was  one  of  the  five  ports  opened  by  the 
commerce  of  Great  Britain  by  the  treaty  of   1842. 


Foochow.  321 

Foochow  is  the  capital  of  Fokien,  and  is  situ- 
ated 150  miles  north  of  Amoy.  Foil  signifies,  in 
China,  a  town  of  the  first  order  ;  tckeou,  a  town  of 
the  second  order ;  and  tsien,  a  town  of  the  third 
order.  These  three  orders  of  towns  are  always 
enclosed  by  ramparts.  Foochow  is  surrounded  by 
a  wall  seven  miles  in  extent,  and  from  twenty  to 
twenty-five  feet  high.  There  are  seven  gates  in 
this  wall,  over  each  of  which  are  hig"h  towers. 
Outside  of  each  gate  are  large  suburbs,  the  most 
extensive  being  those  on  the  south  side  of  the  city, 
which  are  called  Nanti.  These  extend  southward 
four  miles  along  both  sides  of  the  river,  and  com- 
municate, by  two  bridges,  with  a  small,  densely 
populated  island  called  Chungchow.  The  nor- 
thern bridcre  is  called  the  Bridge  of  Ten  Thousand 
Ages,  and  is  said  to  be  over  800  years  old. 

The  city  is  irregularly  built,  and  the  houses  are  of 
wood,  and  usually  one  story  high.  The  streets  are 
paved  with  granite,  and  in  many  instances  planted 
with  trees ;  but  they  are  exceedingly  filthy  and 
narrow,  and  are  infested  with  beggars,  whose 
appearance  is  loathsome  in  the  extreme.  A  great 
number  of  the  inhabitants  live  in  boats  on  the 
river.  Some  of  the  residences  of  the  civil  and 
military  officers  of  the  province  are  handsome 
buildings,  and  the  temples  are  numerous.  A 
singular  feature  of  Foochow  is  the  great  number 
of  towers  erected  in  all  parts  of  the  city, — on  the 
2i 


322  Around  the  World. 

walls,  over  the  streets,  and  even  on  the  house- 
tops,—  some  of  which  are  covered  with  grotesque 
ornaments.  There  are  several  cotton,  paper  and 
hardware  manufactories  here,  also  several  hundred 
furnaces  for  making  porcelain.  There  are  lead 
mines  near  by,  and  great  tea-growing  districts 
within  seventy  miles.  The  commerce  of  this  city 
is  chiefly  with  Japan  and  the  maritime  provinces  of 
China.  This  port  is  much  frequented.  The  chan- 
nel of  the  river,  and  a  sheet  of  water  called  Lihu, 
or  West  Lake,  on  the  western  side  of  the  city,  is 
crowded  with  all  kinds  of  vessels  and  floating  habi- 
tations. 

Ningpo,  the  principal  city  of  the  Province  of 
Cheh-kiang,  is  situated  on  the  Takia  or  Ningpo 
River,  about  sixteen  miles  from  its  mouth.  It 
stands  in  a  fertile  plain,  and  is  surrounded  by  a 
fine  old  wall  twenty-five  feet  high,  sixteen  feet 
broad,  and  from  four  to  five  miles  in  circumference. 
There  are  six  gates  and  two  passages  for  ships,  in 
this  wall.  Ningpo  contains  a  population  of  about 
a  half  a  million.  In  ascending  the  river  the  huge 
ice-houses,  with  high  thatched  roofs,  and  a  large 
white  tower,  which  rises  to  the  height  of  160  feet, 
and  has  fourteen  stories,  will  attract  the  eye  of  the 
stranger.  This  place  has  long  been  celebrated  for 
its  religious  and  educational  pre-eminence,  and  con- 
tains a  large  number  of  temples,  monasteries  and 
colleges,  few  of  them  of  any  architectural  preten- 


Shanghai.  323 


& 


sions.  In  the  centre  of  the  city  is  a  striking 
structure  called  the  Drum  Tower,  which  dates 
from  before  the  fifteenth  century.  Brick  is  the 
ordinary  building  material,  and  the  dwelling  houses 
are  mostly  one  story.  Large  salt  works  are  carried 
on  in  the  vicinity  of  Ningpo.  Between  the  months 
of  April  and  July,  thousands  of  fishermen  are 
engaged  in  catching  cuttle-fish. 

Shanghai  is  situated  on  the  western  bank  of 
Hwang-pu  River,  about  twelve  miles  from  the  point 
where  the  river  empties  into  the  estuary  of  the 
Yang-tse-kiang.  It  seems  more  like  a  part  of  the 
ocean  than  a  river,  however,  as  it  is  so  wide  at  its 
mouth  that  both  banks  can  not  be  seen  at  the  same 
time.  The  walls  which  surround  the  city  are  about 
three  and  one-half  miles  in  circumference,  and  are 
pierced  by  seven  gates.  The  old  or  native  por- 
tion of  the  town  may  be  said  to  illustrate  all  of  the 
worst  features  of  Chinese  cities.  The  streets  are 
narrow  and  dirty,  and  there  is  an  entire  absence  of 
all  sanitary  arrangements;  in  fact,  the  native  town 
has  nothing  but  its  geographical  position  to  recom- 
mend it.  However,  as  it  possesses  a  good  and 
commodious  anchorage,  and  is  easy  of  access  to 
the  ocean,  it  forms  the  principal  port  of  Central 
China.  From  the  western  wall  of  the  city,  there 
stretches  a  rich  alluvial  plain  which  extends  over 
an  area  of  45,000  square  miles,  and  is  intersected 
by  numerous  waterways  and  great  chains  of  lakes. 


324  Around  the  World. 

Old  and  New  Shanghai  are  said  to  have  a  com- 
bined population  of  500,000  inhabitants,  including 
the  boat  population,  which  numbers  over  11,000. 

On  anchoring  at  Shanghai,  we  were,  as  is  usual 
in  Chinese  ports,  surrounded  by  the  moon-eyed 
runners  of  both  sexes,  in  their  rickety  sampans, 
who  seemed  considerably  more  anxious  that  the 
passengers  should  be  conveyed  from  the  ship  to 
the  shore  than  the  passengers  themselves  were.  A 
landing;  being-  effected,  we  found  the  wharf  lined 
with  traveling  chairs  and  jinrikishias.  After  select- 
ing my  sedan  chair,  I  was  carried  along  by  the 
two  coolies  at  a  lively  rate,  and  proceeded  at  once 
to  take  observations  on  the  Oriental  and  Occi- 
dental sights  which  I  passed,  finding  them  to  be 
many  and  interesting,  especially  in  the  Chinese 
quarters. 

Both  portions  of  the  town  are  situated  on  nearly 
level  ground,  the  part  occupied  by  the  foreign 
population  stretching  along  the  banks  of  the  River 
Hwang-pu,  and  there  are  many  handsome  dwellings 
and  extensive  warehouses.  The  public  buildings, 
especially  in  the  British  settlement,  are  large  and 
fine,  and  what  was  once  a  reed-covered  swamp  is 
now  one  of  the  finest  cities  in  the  East.  In  strolling 
with  my  guide  from  the  European  to  the  native 
town,  I  found  the  contrast  to  be  most  striking. 
On  one  hand  were  lofty  mansions,  and  broad,  clean 
streets,  where  occasionally  one  would  get  a  glimpse 


Oriental  and  Occidental  Life.  325 

of  some  fair  European  damsel,  which,  here  let  me 
remark,  are  exceedingly  scarce  in  Asia.  To  my 
mind,  they  will  always  outshine  the  native  beauties, 
no  matter  how  high  the  rank  or  how  small  the  feet. 
In  the  Chinese  city  were  narrow  streets  or  lanes, 
which  seemed  to  run  in  every  direction  but  the 
right  one. 

The  commerce  of  Shanghai  is  said  to  be  more 
extensive  than  that  of  any  other  port  in  the  Eastern 
world,  not  excepting  Calcutta  or  Bombay.  In  the 
European  settlement,  Great  Britain,  America, 
Germany  and  France  are  represented.  The  native 
city  presents  a  strange  conglomeration  of  wealth 
and  poverty.  By  the  side  of  the  merchant  clothed 
in  a  costly  silken  robe,  could  be  seen  the  professional 
beggar,  or  the  poor  coolie,  whose  only  covering 
was  filthy  rags,  and  who  was  loaded  down  like  a 
pack  animal  with  his  heavy  bamboo  baskets.  Here 
was  the  child  of  the  Orient,  and  there  the  traveler 
from  foreign  lands.  The  streets  were  filled  with 
people,  some  riding  comfortably  along  in  their 
traveling  chairs,  others  peddling  curios  and  simple 
wares.      It  was  certainly  a  strange  conglomeration. 

I  had  now  come  to  the  conclusion  that  all  of  the 
largfe  Chinese  cities  bear  a  close  resemblance  to 
each  other,  and,  when  you  have  seen  one,  with  the 
exception  of  a  few  variations,  you  have  seen  them 
all.  I  found  the  saying,  "  that,  when  you  have  seen 
Canton,  you  have  seen  the  best  and  worst  of  China," 


326  Around  the  World. 

to  be  true.  There  is  the  same  life,  the  same  bustle, 
the  same  confusion,  the  same  idolatrous  worship 
of  Brahma,  Buddha  or  Confucius,  as  the  case  may 
be, — the  same  everything. 

As  my  visit  to  China  occurred  in  mid-winter,  my 
tour  did  not  extend  to  Peking,  and  I  thereby 
missed  getting  even  a  glimpse  of  the  youthful 
Emperor's  palace.  The  principal  visitors  to  Peking 
are  diplomates.  As  it  is  in  the  extreme  northern 
portion  of  the  empire,  it  is  not  generally  visited 
by  many  travelers  ;  and  I  was  frequently  told,  that, 
when  I  had  seen  Shanghai  and  Canton,  I  had  seen 
the  best  of  China. 

While  there  was  much,  of  course,  that  I  left 
unseen,  I  had  traveled  over  a  considerable  area  in 
the  Chinese  Empire,  and  had  spent  some  little  time 
among  this  strange  people,  with  whose  habits  and 
customs  I  had  already  become  to  some  extent 
familiar  from  my  observations  among  them  in 
California,  where  they  have  become  quite  numerous 
since  the  discovery  of  gold  in  1849,  but  wnose 
coming  is  now  restricted  by  acts  of  Congress  and 
treaty  stipulations.  Much  more  knowledge,  how- 
ever, was  to  be  gained  of  them  in  their  own 
country,  and  the  time  passed  among  them  was 
pleasantly  and  profitably  spent. 

I  must  now  bid  adieu  to  the  Flowery  Kingdom, 
and  resume  my  journey  eastward. 


From  China  to  Japan.  327 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE    YELLOW    SEA,    AND    COAST    AND    COAST    TOWNS 

OF   JAPAN. 

On  the  15th  of  February  I  embarked  at 
Shanghai  on  the  steamer  Costa  Rica  for  Nagasaki, 
in  Japan,  and  we  were  soon  drifting  into  the  Yellow 
Sea,  with  the  last  objects  of  the  Celestial  Empire 
gradually  fading  from  our  view.  With  a  stiff  mon- 
soon breeze  in  our  favor,  we  soon  crossed  the 
Yang-tsi  bar,  and  in  forty-eight  hours  the  beautiful 
coast  of  Japan  appeared  before  us.  The  Yellow 
Sea,  whose  waters  mingle  with  those  of  the  China 
Sea,  is  noted  for  being  very  boisterous.  Typhoon 
gales,  causing  shipwrecks,  are  of  frequent  occur- 
rence ;  but  fortunately  our  voyage  was  brief  and 
pleasant,  and  without  accident  or  incident  worthy 
of  note.  Nagasaki,  the  first  seaport  city  in  Japan, 
is  of  considerable  commercial  importance,  and  is 
also  a  great  coaling  station  for  several  large  steam- 
ship lines.      Coal  is  the  staple  export. 

The  first  feature  of  interest  noticed  in  sailing 
into  this  port  is  the  long,  narrow  harbor,  which 
appeared  to  be  rim-bound  by  lofty  and  uniform 
ranges  of  hills.     This  harbor,  next  to  Sydney  and 


328  Around  the  World. 

Hong-Kong,  is  the  most  beautiful  in  the  world. 
The  sloping,  picturesque  hills  in  the  background, 
cultivated,  as  they  are,  to  perfection  by  terrace 
farming,  present,  from  their  tops  to  the  water's 
edge,  a  variety  of  tropical  plants,  and  add  greatly 
to  the  beauty  of  the  city's  surroundings.  The 
highest  of  these  hills  is  called  Hicockson,  from 
which  I  obtained  a  most  excellent  view  of  the  city, 
its  harbor,  and  the  surrounding  country.  Many 
vessels  lay  at  anchor,  among  others  two  American 
ships,  with  the  stars  and  stripes  flying  to  the  breeze, 
and  serving  as  a  reminder  that  every  day  was  now 
bringing  me  nearer  home. 

The  population  of  Nagasaki  is  about  15,000, 
consisting  principally  of  Japanese,  with  about  300 
Europeans.  The  principal  points  of  interest  in 
the  city  are  the  pagodas,  public  bath  houses,  tea 
houses  and  fifteen  temples  for  worshipers  of 
Buddha.  Buddhism  is  the  religion  of  the  country. 
Foreign  missionaries  of  various  denominations 
have  done  much  to  convert  the  people  to  Chris- 
tianity, and  both  Catholics  and  Protestants  have 
houses  of  worship  here,  where  they  have  met  with 
better  success  in  their  work  than  in  other  parts  of 
Asia. 

Japan,  however,  has  few  missionaries  compared 
to  the  extent  of  the  field  before  them ;  and  it  will 
require  more  than  a  mere  handful  of  Christian 
men  to  remove  the  superstitious  faith  of  37,000,000 


Japanese  Enterprise.  329 

heathens  imbued  with  the  idolatrous  practice  and 
teaching  of  Buddhism.  But  the  work  done  so 
far  has  been  well  done  ;  and,  however  slow  the 
good  work  maybe  going  on,  the  natives  are  gradu- 
ally abandoning  the  old  faith  for  the  new,  and  there 
are  marked  evidences  everywhere,  that  the  Jap- 
anese are  a  more  progressive  race,  with  a  higher 
civilization,  than  their  celestial  neighbors  across 
the  Yellow  Sea.  They  are  fast  imitating  Euro- 
peans in  all  the  arts  and  sciences,  and  a  large 
number  of  their  young  men  are  sent  to  Europe 
and  America  to  be  educated  in  the  best  institutions 
of  learning.  The  Japanese  officials  and  people  of 
rank  are  imitating  Europeans  in  dress  and  customs 
to  a  small  extent ;  but  the  people  of  the  lower 
orders  do  not  seem  to  have  either  means  or  desire 
to  imitate  anything,  and  the  men  and  women 
among  them  dress  much  the  same. 

One  of  the  sights  which  most  attracted  my  atten- 
tion in  Nagasaki  was  the  women  stevedores.  I 
saw  fifty  Japanese  women  loading  our  vessel  with 
coal.  They  were  strung  out  in  a  line,  standing  six 
feet  apart  on  planks,  the  line  reaching  from  the 
coal  barge  to  the  steamer ;  and  in  this  manner  the 
coal  was  transferred  in  little  bags  by  being  tossed 
from  one  woman  to  another  alone  the  line  until  its 
destination  was  reached.  Another  gang,  consist- 
ing of  small  girls,  were  similarly  engaged  in 
tossing  back  the  empty  bags  to  be  refilled,  and  in 


Japanese  Woman  Spinning  Silk. 
(330) 


The  ''Inland  Sea."  331 

this  way  400  tons  of  coal  was  transferred  from  the 
barge  to  the  steamer  within  four  hours.  These 
little  Japanese  coolie  women,  dressed  in  rags,  were 
as  active  as  cats  until  their  task  was  finished  ;  and 
their  weather-beaten  complexions  were  in  no  wise 
beautified  by  handling  the  coal.  This  novel  piece 
of  drudgery  was  my  first  sight  of  women  acting  as 
stevedores  ;  but,  while  it  might  be  a  novel  one  in 
San  Franciscb  or  New  York,  it  was  not  along  the 
shores  of  Japan. 

I  visited  with  much  interest  the  tea  houses  and 
the  various  temples,  through  which  I  was  piloted 
by  my  guide.  Before  entering  these  sacred  pre- 
cincts, my  shoes  had  to  be  removed,  and  I  walked 
over  the  floors  in  my  stocking  feet  while  viewing 
the  glittering  bronze  images  representing  their 
idolatrous  religion.  These  temples  are  as  sacred 
to  these  heathens  as  St.  Peter's  is  to  the  Romans. 
Christianity  is  to-day  protected  in  Japan,  and 
Nagasaki  is  now,  as  it  has  been  in  former  years, 
the  nursery  of  the  Christian  religion  on  the  island. 
At  present  there  are  about  50,000  of  various 
denominations  in  this  vicinity  who  are  devotees  of 
the  Christian  faith. 

After  taking  in  all  the  sights  at  this  place,  I 
embarked  for  Yokohama  by  way  of  the  "  Inland 
Sea,"  visiting  several  seaports  along  the  coast. 
After  leaving  the  harbor  of  Nagasaki,  we  passed 
through  a  narrow  entrance   guarded   by  fortifica- 


332  Around  the  World. 

tions,  and  the  next  object  that  came  in  sight  was 
Papenberg  Island,  from  which  many  thousand 
Christians  were  hurled  into  the  sea  over  200  years 
ago,  in  an  attempt  to  forever  abolish  Christianity 
from  the  Island  of  Japan. 

From  Shimonoseki  to  Kobe,  the  entire  length  of 
the  Inland  Sea  is  275  miles.  This  is,  without 
doubt,  the  loveliest  sheet  of  water  in  the  world. 
Neither  Lake  Tahoe,  Lake  Como,  Lake  Luzern 
or  Christiania  Fjorden,  in  Norway,  compares  with 
this  beautiful  blue  sheet  of  water  dotted  with  its 
3,000  picturesque  islands.  In  whatever  direction 
the  eye  turns,  a  panoramic  view  meets  it  that  baffles 
description.  Every  nook  along  the  shore  pre- 
sented to  view  clusters  of  villages,  and  the  hillsides 
were  dotted  with  cozy  homes  of  terrace  farms,  with 
every  acre  cultivated  to  perfection  by  the  industrious 
Japanese.  The  foliage  of  trees  on  the  islands  cast- 
ing shadows  in  the  sea,  and  the  swarms  of  Japanese 
fishing  boats  of  every  description,  added  to  the 
attractiveness  of  the  scene.  This  sea  being  difficult 
to  navieate,  on  account  of  the  narrow  and  crooked 
passages  between  the  clusters  of  islands,  lighthouses 
and  signals  are  stationed  all  along  the  coast,  and 
steamers  are  all  required  by  law  to  carry  pilots. 
Never  before  in  my  life  can  I  record  having  seen 
so  many  beautiful  attractions  in  so  short  a  voyage 
as  that  over  this  Inland  Sea, — scenes  which  will 
never  be  forgotten. 


Kobe.  333 

Kobe  is  situated  half  way  between  Nagasaki  and 
Yokohama.  It  is  the  only  city  in  Japan  in  which 
the  Europeans  have  control  of  the  municipal 
government,  and  is  the  second  seaport  in  size  and 
importance  in  Japan.  Kobe  has  a  deep  harbor; 
and  we  were  here  saved  the  trouble  and  annoyance 
of  having  to  be  transported  from  the  ship  to  the 
shore  in  the  boats  of  noisy  runners,  who  infest 
many  of  the  seaports  of  these  islands  ;  for  here  we 
were  moored  to  the  wharf,  and  could  step  ashore 
without  danger  to  life  or  limb.  The  European 
colony  is  built  on  the  water  front,  and  has  many 
attractive  public  and  private  buildings.  Enter- 
prising merchants  and  ship-owners  here  do  a  large 
commercial  business  with  Chinese  and  Japanese 
ports. 

The  streets  in  Japanese  cities  are  much  broader 
than  those  in  China ;  but  the  houses  are  lio-ht  frame 
structures  of  light  boards,  and  generally  two  stories 
in  height.  The  windows  have  paper  lights  instead 
of  glass.  In  fact,  glass  is  not  used  in  Japan,  either 
in  windows  or  doors.  The  latter  are  worked  on 
slides,  on  which  they  are  easily  moved,  being 
almost  as  light  as  a  feather.  The  houses  have  little 
furniture  of  any  description,  as  it  is  not  considered 
necessary  to  comfort  in  Japan;  but  a  white  straw 
carpet  covers  the  floors.  Their  quaint  little  houses 
are  kept  as  neat  as  a  pin,  and  the  whole  family  sit 
on  the  floor  in  a  group  when  eating  their  meals. 


334  Around  the  World. 

The  kitchen  is  the  main  room,  though  strangers 
are  always  entertained  up-stairs. 

A  stranger  entering  one  of  these  houses,  is 
generally  met  at  the  entrance  by  two  of  the 
inmates,  who  make  salutations  by  bowing  three 
times,  each  succeeding  bow  being  lower  than  the 
preceding  one ;  when,  for  the  last  one  they  get 
down  on  their  knees,  and  bow  nearly  to  the  floor 
with  their  heads.  The  stranger  is  then  invited  to 
remove  his  shoes,  and  is  escorted  up-stairs  in  his 
stocking-  feet.  His  shoes  must  be  left  at  the  door 
under  all  circumstances.  The  reason  of  this  rule 
being  enforced  is  to  preserve  the  carpet  from  being 
soiled.  The  kitchen  floor  is  not  generally  carpeted, 
nor  painted  ;  but  it  is  varnished,  and  kept  as  bright 
as  a  mirror.  They  do  not  propose  to  have  it 
scratched  by  the  foreigner's  shoes.  All  Japanese 
wear  wooden  shoes,  with  a  strap  over  the  toes. 
These  shoes  are  so  simple  that  it  takes  but  a  second 
to  remove  them  at  the  door  before  entering.  The 
bath  is  taken  in  a  large  vat  adjoining  the  kitchen. 
Bathing  in  Japan  is  considered  as  necessary  as 
eating. 

Hiogo  is  separated  from  Kobe  by  a  small 
stream,  and  is  densely  populated.  The  sights  of 
interest  in  this  city  were  its  temples,  theatres,  shops 
and  tea  houses.  The  tea  houses  of  Japan  are 
classed  as  the  moral  and  immoral.  A  vulgar  dance 
house   is   often    called    a   tea   house.     The  native 


Japanese    Theatres.  335 

restaurants,  road  stations,  or  wayside  inns,  where 
refreshments  of  sweets  with  tea  and  saki  are 
served,  are  also  called  tea  houses. 

The  theatre  in  Japan  begins  in  the  morning,  and 
continues  all  through  the  day,  and  the  audience 
carry  their  lunch  with  them.  To  a  stranger  the 
performances  appear  to  be  of  the  simplest  and  sil- 
liest nature,  not  over  three  performers  appear- 
ing on  the  stage  at  a  time ;  and  in  many  instances 
the  performance  is  similar  to  those  of  the  Chinese. 
The  music  is  poor  and  uninteresting  ;  it  sounded 
like  clii nk -chink-chink.  To  be  compelled  to  re- 
main in  a  Japanese  theatre  all  day  would  prove 
extremely  monotonous  to  a  foreigner.  On  enter- 
ing a  Japanese  theatre,  you  are  compelled  to 
ascend  a  flight  of  stairs,  the  performance  being  on 
the  upper  floor,  where  there  are  no  seats,  except 
small  mats,  which  are  placed  on  the  floor  for  each 
person  who  enters ;  and  no  other  alternative  is  left 
but  to  sit  flat  on  the  floor.  A  box  with  hot  char- 
coal is  placed  by  the  side  of  each  auditor,  from 
which  he  can  light  his  pipe  or  warm  his  hands  and 
feet  during  the  performance.  The  admission  to  a 
Japanese  theatre  is  four  cens,  or  two  cents,  which 
is  very  reasonable  compared  to  prices  charged  in 
European  and  American  cities.  This  admission 
entitles  the  visitor  to  remain  all  day  and  witness 
all  the  various  plays.  Stoves  are  not  used  in 
Japan,  but  in  their  stead  braziers  or  small  wooden 


336  Around  the  World. 

boxes  with  a  charcoal  fire  made  in  the  centre. 
This  fire  is  usually  kept  in  the  kitchen,  where  the 
family  sit,  surrounding  it  as  we  do  a  stove  or  fire- 
place. 

From  Kobe  I  visited  two  of  the  most  important 
cities  in  Japan,  Osaka  and  Kioto.  It  is  twenty 
miles  by  rail  from  Kobe  to  Osaka,  and  the  route  is 
over  the  most  fertile  and  level  section  of  country  in 
Japan.  We  passed  through,  on  this  journey,  a 
continuous  line  of  well-cultivated  gardens  planted 
into  "paddy  fields,"  each  divided  into  half-acre 
lots,  and  levied  for  irrigation.  These  fields  were 
clothed  with  the  most  luxuriant  vegetation,  even 
though  it  was  winter. 

Osaka  is  situated  on  a  level  plain,  is  one  of  the 
three  imperial  cities  of  Japan,  and  is  the  second 
city  in  size  in  the  empire,  having  a  population  of 
nearly  half  a  million  inhabitants.  The  city  is  built 
on  both  sides  of  the  headwaters  of  the  Yodagawa, 
and  steamers  can  enter  from  the  port  of  Hiogoand 
Kobe ;  but  the  large  bulk  of  freight  is  carried  by 
rail  via  Kobe.  A  great  many  small  canals  are  cut 
through  the  city,  and  the  bridges  of  Osaka  can  be 
counted  by  the  hundreds,  reminding  one  of  Venice 
or  Stockholm. 

I  visited  while  here  many  places  of  interest,  and 
was  entertained  by  many  interesting  sights. 
Among-  these  was  the  castle  on  the  banks  of  one  of 
the  many  streams  which  intersect  the  city.     Its  wall, 


The  Bronze   Temple  of  Osaka.  337 

sloping  from  the  water's  edge,  and  built  of  immense 
blocks  of  granite,  is  sixty  feet  high.  Near  the 
castle  are  two  forts,  and  a  garrison  of  15,000  men. 
The  Imperial  Mint,  also  located  here,  covers  an 
area  of  forty  acres. 

The  Buddhist  temples  of  Osaka  number  about 
1,400,  many  of  which  I  visited,  where  I  found  great 
numbers  of  devoted  natives  on  their  knees  clapping 
their  hands  in  devotional  prayer  to  their  idols. 
The  Temple  Tennoji,  situated  in  the  outskirts  of 
the  city,  is  the  largest  and  most  imposing.  I  paid 
a  priest  here  two  cents  to  inspect  all  the  bronze 
idols  contained  within  this  temple,  and  for  the  same 
price  was  permitted  to  climb  to  the  top,  from  which 
I  obtained  an  admirable  view  of  this  interesting 
city,  the  surrounding  country  and  ocean  for  many 
miles. 

In  riding  through  this  strange  city  with  my 
coolie  team  in  a  two-wheeled  jinrikishia,  I  was 
greatly  confused  with  strange  sights  and  customs. 
My  tour  through  the  city  was  made  all  the  more 
interesting,  on  account  of  it  being  a  holiday.  It 
was  a  New  Year's,  or  tenth  day  of  rest.  On  this 
occasion  I  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing  people  of 
every  rank  and  grade,  of  both  sexes,  and  repre- 
senting ages  from  one  to  eighty  years,  who 
thronged  the  streets  in  their  holiday  attire,  cele- 
brating with  the  greatest  pomp  and  ceremony  at 
their  sacred  shrines.  Thousands  of  women  carried 
22 


338  Around  the  World. 

their  babies  lashed  to  their  backs,  Indian  fashion. 
The  lips  of  the  young  women  were  painted  blood 
red,  and  their  cheeks  were  smeared  with  white  lead. 
The  ugliest  amone  the  married  women  had  their 
teeth  blackened. 

Every  one  was  bareheaded,  without  exception, 
from  an  officer  of  the  highest  rank  to  a  coolie  of 
the  lowest  order  ;  and  many  who  were  too  dignified 
to  walk  were  pushed  and  pulled  along  in  the  jin- 
rikishia,  or  carried  in  a  palanquin  (or  traveling 
chair  used  by  the  better  classes)  by  the  half-naked 
coolies.  Adding  to  all  this  the  loud  gibbering  and 
bawling  in  the  native  tongue,  and  the  continuous 
clattering-  from  their  wooden  shoes,  and  there  was 
a  combination  of  noises  and  sights  which  were 
hard  on  the  ears,  but  exceedingly  interesting  to  the 
eye.  For  variety  and  confusion,  this  exceeded 
anything  I  have  witnessed  in  China.  Such  scenes 
were  quite  a  novelty  to  me  at  first  ;  but,  after  five 
weeks'  rambling  through  the  empire,  I  became 
better  acquainted  with  the  native  customs,  and  the 
novelty  of  the  thing  soon  disappeared. 

I  was  soon  able  to  handle  the  chop-sticks  in 
eating-  the  soaked  rice  and  other  native  foods.  A 
good  appetite  created  the  necessity  for  learning 
this  art,  and  forced  me  to  take  advantage  of  the 
opportunity.  Raw  fish  is  a  dish  relished  by  many 
of  the  native  population  ;  but  this  was  more  than 
my  appetite  could  relish,  and  I  afterward  discov- 


Banging  the  Hair.  339 

ered  that  it  was  more  a  matter  of  taste  than 
practice  in  Japan. 

The  male  population  of  Japan  are  small  and 
slender,  and  the  greater  number  are  also  bow- 
legged,  and  very  unattractive  in  appearance.  The 
females  are  very  small,  short  waisted,  have  a 
healthy  complexion,  small  black  eyes,  and  are 
much  better  looking  than  the  men.  The  female 
beauties  exhibit  great  taste  in  ornamenting  their 
hair  according  to  the  custom  of  the  country.  I  do 
not  suppose  that  there  is  another  nation  in  the 
world  whose  women  take  more  pains,  or  exhibit 
more  pride  in  dressing  and  ornamenting  the  hair 
than  the  Japanese.  As  a  rule,  women  barbers  go 
from  house  to  house,  where  they  spend  two  or 
three  hours  on  a  single  head.  After  banging  and 
combing,  the  polishing  touch  is  put  on  with  a  good 
supply  of  sticky  grease,  which  gives  the  hair  an 
exceedingly  glossy  appearance.  The  hair  is 
dressed  in  this  manner  generally  once  a  week,  but 
never  oftener  than  twice.  After  the  hair  is  "done 
up  "  in  this  slow  and  expensive  manner,  they  take 
the  greatest  precaution  to  preserve  it  intact  as  long 
as  possible,  which  is  more  easily  done,  as  wooden 
blocks,  lined  with  velvet  and  cut  to  fit  the  neck, 
are  used  instead  of  pillows,  and  sleeping  in  this 
manner  enables  them  to  preserve  the  ornamenta- 
tion of  their  hair  for  days  at  a  time. 

The  women  wear  loose-fitting  costumes,  except 


340  Around  the  World. 

around  the  feet,  where  the  fit  is  so  close  as  to  impede 
the  motion  of  the  limbs,  so  that,  at  first  sight,  one 
would  hardly  believe  they  could  walk  at  all.  Over 
the  upper  portion  of  the  body  a  loose  over-blouse 
is  worn,  with  the  sleeves  a  foot  or  so  longer  than 
the  arms  ;  and  at  a  hasty  glance  the  body  has  more 
the  appearance  of  being  wrapped  in  loose  cloth 
than  in  a  dress  suit.  The  men  wear  black  clothes 
wrapped  tightly  around  their  legs  as  a  substitute 
for  pants,  a  loose  blouse  over  the  upper  portion  of 
the  body,  and  an  overskirt  reaching  nearly  to  the 
feet.  Without  regard  to  rank  or  sex,  they  all 
wear  flat,  high  wooden  shoes,  with  snow-white 
stockings.  Everybody  goes  bareheaded,  from  the 
infant  to  the  aged ;  and,  no  matter  whether  you 
meet  them  on  the  highway,  in  the  remotest  part  of 
the  country,  in  the  densely  crowded  city,  or 
whether  they  are  exposed  to  the  blazing  sun  or  the 
bracing  frost,  they  are  bareheaded,  this  being  the 
custom  on  their  lovely  island. 

The  marriaoe  customs  are  similar  to  those  of  the 
Chinese, — the  contract  being  made  by  the  parents 
or  middle-men  instead  of  by  the  parties  themselves, 
and  it  is  of  frequent  occurrence  that  the  groom 
and  his  intended  bride  have  never  seen  each  other 
before  the  day  of  marriage.  The  wedding  cere- 
mony consists  in  coming  forward,  and,  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  mediators,  taking  each  other  by  the 
hand,   and   drinking  saki,   the   native  wine.      It  is 


(341; 


342  Around  the  World. 

the  custom  for  the  newly  married  couple  to  go  and 
live  with  the  bridegroom's  parents  ;  and,  after 
three  or  four  years  of  married  life,  the  man  is 
allowed  to  buy  another  wife,  so  that  a  man  fre- 
quently has  two  or  more  wives,  according  to  his 
means.  The  price  of  a  wife  varies  from  $80  to 
$300,  and  even  higher,  according  to  her  rank  and 
beauty.  While  visiting  a  friend  in  Yokohama,  I 
learned  the  following  facts,  illustrative  of  the  hold 
this  peculiar  custom  has  upon  the  people.  In  his 
employ  was  a  female  Japanese  servant  Avho  had 
been  married  two  years,  and  who  was  now  working 
to  earn  enough  to  enable  her  husband  to  procure  a 
second  wife.  I  talked  with  the  woman,  and  dis- 
covered her  reason  for  so  doing-.  She  said  she 
thought  it  was  all  right,  as  the  money  would  be 
spent  in  a  good  cause, —  an  opinion  in  which  o.ur 
American  and  European  wives  would  hardly  be 
found  to  concur. 

The  husband  here  has  a  ri^ht  to  divorce  himself 
at  any  time  from  any  or  all  of  his  wives,  after  they 
have  been  living  together  a  sufficient  length  of 
time,  provided  they  have  no  children.  The  hus- 
band has  more  privileges  than  the  wife  under  all 
circumstances,  he  being  the  lord  and  master  of  the 
household,  and  the  wife  the  slave. 

Girl  babies  are  not  considered  desirable  by  the 
Japanese,  and,  when  a  girl  is  born  into  the  world, 
it    is    regarded    as    a   misfortune   by    the    family ; 


Politeness  of  the  Japanese.  343 

whereas,  on  the  birth  of  a  boy,  the  reverse  is  the 
case,  and  there  is  great  rejoicing,  it  being  looked 
upon  as  a  profitable  increase.  The  peculiar  cus- 
tom is  practiced  of  exhibiting  fish  on  every  house 
where  a  boy  has  been  born  within  a  year. 

An  agreeable  feature  of  travel  among  the  Jap- 
anese is  their  extreme  politeness,  it  being  as 
natural  for  them  to  be  polite  to  each  other  as  it  is 
for  them  to  eat.  Politeness  is  a  part  of  their 
religious  teaching,  impressed  upon  their  minds 
from  infancy  ;  and,  wherever  and  whenever  they 
meet,  they  make  salutations  by  bowing  several 
times,  each  apparently  endeavoring  to  bow  lower 
than  the  other. 

It  was  amusing  to  see  children  of  every  age,  in 
the  cities  or  villages,  swarming  in  the  roads  and 
streets,  which  they  use  for  a  playground,  and  those 
that  were  too  small  to  walk  were  fastened  to  the 
backs  of  their  older  and  larger  sisters,  papoose 
fashion.  I  have  sometimes  counted  twenty  or 
thirty  of  these  little  girls,  from  six  years  upward,  in 
groups,  where  they  played  for  hours,  each  with  a 
little  one  on  her  back.  All  were  bareheaded,  most 
of  the  small  children  had  their  heads  closely 
shaved,  and  many  were  clothed  only  in  rags 
padded  over  each  other,  presenting  quite  a  comical 
appearance.  I  was  informed  that  they  were  thus 
sent  out  into  the  streets  to  play,  with  the  younger 
ones  strapped  upon  the  backs  of  the  older  ones,  in 


344  Around  the  World. 

order  that  the  mothers  might  be  relieved  of  the 
care  and  trouble  of  looking  after  them.  The 
absence  of  street-cars,  carriages,  and  other  vehicles 
with  horses  attached,  rendered  it  perfectly  safe  for 
them  to  be  in  the  streets. 

The  Japanese  dancing  and  singing  girls  also 
afforded  considerable  amusement.  There  are 
organized  groups  of  these  maidens  who  travel 
around  and  sing  and  play  for  pay.  They  are 
generally  girls  of  respectability,  and  sing  in  sing- 
ing halls,  while  the  dancing  girls  are  generally 
of  a  low  order,  and  find  their  audiences  among 
the  tea  houses.  Owing  to  the  peculiar  inhar- 
monious sounds  from  the  odd-looking  musical 
instruments  used  by  the  singers,  one  not  accus- 
tomed to  or  unacquainted  with  Japanese  music 
would  have  no  desire  to  attend  one  of  these 
exhibitions  more  than  once.  I  witnessed  a  dance 
by  three  of  these  dancing  girls  given  at  one  of  the 
tea  houses  ;  and,  from  the  manner  in  which  they 
exhibited  their  persons,  and  from  the  motions  of 
their  bodies,  together  with  the  constant  manoeuvres 
with  their  fans  while  dancing,  I  would  judge  the 
whole  affair  to  be  of  an  immoral  nature.  In  one 
corner  of  the  room  sat  an  elderly  woman  playing 
a  guitar,  or  three-stringed  banjo,  and  heartily 
laughing-  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  audience. 
One  attendance  at  a  place  like  this  was  enough  for 
me.  The  dance  was  called  Jon  Keno,  a  name  well 
befitting  it. 


Kioto.  345 

I  now  turned  my  eyes  toward  Kioto,  twenty 
miles  by  rail  from  Osaka.  Kioto  is  called  the  City 
of  Temples.  It  was  the  capital  of  Japan  for  over 
a  thousand  years  ;  but  within  the  last  fifteen  years 
the  seat  of  government  has  been  moved  to 
Yeddo,  or  Tokio,  a  more  central  location  in  the 
empire.  At  one  time  Kioto  had  over  a  million 
inhabitants;  but  the  population  in  1870  was  esti- 
mated at  370,000.  This  city  and  its  environs  is 
one  of  the  most  interesting  places  in  Japan.  It  is 
situated  in  a  valley  between  the  ridges  Hujsizan 
and  Higushiyama  on  the  east,  and  of  Tennosan  on 
the  west.  The  hills  surrounding  the  city  are 
covered  with  temples,  pagodas  and  shrines  cf  the 
Shinto  and  Buddha  sects.  A  visitor  can  have 
access  to  every  department  of  these  by  paying  two 
cents  to  the  attending  priest,  who,  with  shaven 
head  and  in  stocking  feet,  shows  visitors  through 
these  temples,  groaning  slightly  as  he  gives  the 
history  of  the  sacred  idol.  Glittering  decorations 
of  bronze  bedeck  the  sacred  images. 

I  was  informed  that  Kioto  had  300  temples  of 
the  Shinto  sect,  and  probably  as  many  more  of  the 
Buddhist  persuasion.  At  the  festivals,  the  follow- 
ers of  Buddha,  while  pleading  to  the  bronze  images, 
clap  their  hands,  while  the  priest  beats  a  tom-tom. 
They  believe  that  the  souls  of  the  dead  visit  their 
families  every  year,  on  the  13th  day  of  August, 
and  remain  three  days  before  they  return  to  the 


346  Around  the  World. 

tomb.  The  Shinto  temples  are  similar  to  those  of 
the  Buddhists  on  the  exterior;  but  at  the  altar,  on 
the  inside,  they  make  a  display  of  looking-glasses, 
or  mirrors,  before  which  they  perform  their  rites. 
These  looking-glasses,  or  mirrors,  serve  as  a  sub- 
stitute for  the  sun,  which  was  worshiped  in  ancient 
times  by  these  people,  and  is  still  the  great  object 
of  religious  veneration  among  the  followers  of  the 
Shinto  doctrine.  These  temples  contain  numerous 
pictures  of  horses,  and  I  was  led  to  believe  that 
this  animal  held  a  sacred  place  in  their  hearts, 
which  I  afterward  discovered  to  be  the  fact.  This 
sect  have  a  kind  of  spirit  worship,  the  word  sinto 
in  fact  meaning  spirit  worship  ;  and  they  believe 
that  great  numbers  of  spirits  exercise  an  influence 
over  the  world,  the  sun  being  the  greatest  of  all, 
and  the  elements  after  him.  These  are  called  Dai 
Zin,  meaning  "  Great  Spirit."  There  are  a  large 
number  of  inferior  spirits  also, — heroes,  in  the 
main,  who  have  been  canonized  for  their  worthy 
deeds  or  good  qualities.  Among  the  latter  there 
is  one  called  Fatsman,  the  God  of  War. 

The  Sinto  was  the  ancient  faith  of  Japan  ;  but 
Buddhism  has  taken  its  place  to  a  great  extent. 
The  two  religions,  however,  are  badly  mixed  up, 
Buddhism  having  appropriated  many  of  the  Sinto 
doctrines,  and  the  Sinto  sects  having  taken  up 
many  modes  of  worship,  and  images,  from  Bud- 
hism.      I  was  told  that  many  rejected  both  of  these 


The  Mikado.  347 

religions,  and  the  idol  worship  attending  them. 
Among  these  were  some  of  the  best-educated  peo- 
ple who  were  the  followers  of  Confucius  and  his 
teachings,  and  belonged  to  a  school  of  philosophers 
called  Sinto.  The  latter  have  no  temples  or 
external  forms  of  worship,  but  follow,  as  a  rule  of 
life,  the  precepts  of  the  great  Chinese  sage. 

I  was  very  much  impressed  with  the  total  absence 
of  hostility  between  the  different  sects.  The 
greatest  toleration  prevails,  and  all  classes  believe 
in  a  spiritual  Emperor  called  Dairi,  whose  proper 
title  is  the  Mikado.  He  is  supposed  to  be  the 
vicegerent  of  God  on  earth,  absolute  in  power 
and  of  divine  commission.  He  claims  descent  from 
Sin  Mu,  who  was  the  first  to  establish  a  regular 
government  in  Japan,  about  600  B.  C.  The  person 
of  this  being  is  considered  so  sacred,  and  he  is  con- 
sidered so  holy,  that  it  would  be  desecration  for 
him  to  be  exposed  to  the  open  air,  or  to  touch  his 
feet  upon  the  ground.  Many  other  silly  notions 
concerning  him  are  entertained,  and  all  bow  to  him 
as  the  one  great  Superior.  They  also  have  a  sacred 
dance  before  their  idols. 

One  of  the  most  imposing  sights  in  Kioto  is  the 
old  Imperial  Palace  building  and  square,  contain- 
ing about  thirty  acres,  surrounded  by  a  high  wall. 
On  entering,  we  passed  through  a  large  iron  gate. 
I  was  more  impressed  with  the  quaintness  of  its 
architecture   than    with    its    beauty.       Since    the 


(348) 


Temples  and  Tea  Hottscs.  3-49 

removal  of  the  Mikado  to  Tokio,  little  attention 
has  been  given  to  its  repairs  by  the  Viceroy. 

One  of  the  greatest  attractions  in  the  city  is  an 
image  of  Buddha,  which  contains  many  tons  of 
bronze.  Kioto  contains  many  ruins  which  mark  a 
period  of  calamity  from  earthquake  and  fire.  I 
found  it  the  most  interesting  city  in  japan  on 
account  of  its  ancient  and  modern  wonders.  Be- 
sides her  numerous  temples  and  shrines,  there  are 
many  theatres,  tea  houses  and  amusements  of  every 
kind,  a  detailed  description  of  which  can  not  be 
given  in  these  pages,  as  time  and  space  will  permit 
a  brief  mention  only  of  the  principal  objects  of 
interest.  The  shops  are  filled  with  curious  and 
costly  wares,  silk  factories  are  numerous,  and  tea- 
curing  establishments,  where  many  hundreds  of 
women  are  constantly  employed. 

I  obtained  a  commanding  view  of  the  city  and 
surrounding  country  from  the  top  of  the  mountain 
called  Shogan  Zuka,  to  which  I  was  carried  in  a 
traveling  chair  by  coolies.  From  this  height  I 
was  enabled  to  study  the  topography  of  the  district 
in  every  direction.  The  manner  in  which  this 
broken  region  is  cultivated  by  terrace  farming 
from  the  hill-tops  to  the  bottom  of  the  deepest 
ravines,  a  system  of  cultivation  which  I  observed 
in  all  parts  of  Japan,  impressed  upon  my  mind  the 
reason  why  37,000,000  people  were  enabled  to 
subsist  in  a  country  smaller  than  California. 


350  Around  the  World. 

There  is  a  similarity  in  many  respects  between 
Japan  and  California  in  regard  to  climate  and  soil, 
though  California  is  far  ahead  of  Japan  and  of 
every  other  country  under  the  sun,  in  climate  and 
in  resources,  and  in  the  favors  which  nature  has 
extended  ;  and  yet  California  now  supports  only 
one  million  of  people,  while  Japan  supports  thirty- 
seven  millions.  While  California,  up  to  the  present 
time,  has  depended  mainly  on  her  great  fields  of 
wheat,  requiring  the  labor  of  but  few,  who  are 
sparsely  settled  over  her  vast  and  fertile  valleys, 
Japan  is  tilling  every  foot  of  her  fertile  soil  to 
perfection  in  small  farms,  bringing  into  cultivation 
every  inch  of  available  space,  and  producing  every 
variety  of  crops  instead  of  one,  so  that,  in  case  of 
over-production  of  certain  cereals,  they  have  others 
in  reserve,  and  are  not  dependent  upon  one  alone. 
By  this  system  of  farming,  with  an  inferior  climate 
and  inferior  resources,  they  are  enabled  to  support 
a  population  thirty-seven  times  greater  than  that  of 
California. 

The  principal  crops  raised  are  tea  and  silk.  I 
noticed  a  tea  plantation  on  the  hilliest  and  rockiest 
ground  in  the  neighborhood.  The  tea  bushes 
resemble  grape-vines  of  the  same  age,  and  are 
planted  similarly  to  our  vineyards.  In  every  direc- 
tion, all  over  Japan,  we  find  these  little  fields,  in 
which  men  and  women  can  be  seen  in  groups  tilling 
and  toiling  from   morning  until   night,    except    on 


From  Photograph  of  Mr.  Johnson  in  Japanese  Costume, 
with  fusiyama  for  a  background. 

(351) 


352  Around  the  World. 

every  tenth  day,  which  is  set  apart  for  rest.  Japan, 
though  favored  by  nature  in  many  ways,  is  not  a 
fruit  country,  and  what  little  is  raised  there  is  of 
an  inferior  quality.  Nor  is  it  a  good  sheep  country, 
there  being  a  species  of  herb  growing  in  the  vege- 
tation which  keeps  those  animals  from  thriving. 

After  spending  some  time  in  seeing  the  sights 
and  investigating  the  resources  of  the  country  in  and 
around  the  cities  of  Osaka  and  Kioto,  I  returned 
to  Kobe,  and  embarked  on  the  coast  mail  steamer 
for  Yokohama,  a  distance  of  350  miles,  or  a  thirty- 
five  hours  voyage.  Shortly  after  leaving  Kobe, 
we  quickly  sailed  out  of  the  Inland  Sea  into  the 
open  Pacific  Ocean,  keeping  near  the  shores  and 
stopping  at  all  the  ports.  From  the  immense  car- 
goes coming  into  and  going  from  them,  and  the 
numerous  steamer  lines  plying  along  this  coast,  a 
stranger  would  naturally  judge  the  resources  and 
commerce  of  Japan  to  be  something  enormous. 

As  we  sailed  along  the  coast,  the  main  point  of 
interest  in  view  was  the  Fusiyama  Mountain,  said 
to  be  the  most  graceful  mountain  in  form  of  any  in 
the  world.  Its  towering  peak,  covered  with  per- 
petual snow,  and  14,000  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  sea,  can  be  seen  above  every  other  object  for 
100  miles  out  in  the  Pacific  Ocean.  This  volcanic 
mountain  has  a  crater  two  miles  in  circumference  ; 
but  there  has  been  no  eruption  for  several  years. 
It  is  a  famous  resort  for  tourists  and  visitors,  and 


Fitsiyama.  353 

the  natives  formerly  made  pilgrimages  here  for  the 
purpose  of  idolatrous  worship  ;  but  the  custom 
which  necessitated  such  a  hazardous  climb  is  nearly 
abandoned,  their  worship  being  confined  to  the 
temples  nearer  home,  where  perhaps  the  same 
reward  is  meted  out  to  them. 


23 


354  Around  the  World. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE    INTERIOR   OF    JAPAN. 

As  we  steamed  into  Yokohama,  we  found  that 
spacious  harbor  full  of  anchored  vessels.  Our 
steamer  was  soon  surrounded  by  row  craft,  from  a 
canoe  to  a  sampan,  all  being  propelled  scull  fashion 
and  with  great  speed  by  the  noisy  boatmen  and 
boatwomen.  On  this  occasion  I  was  transported 
in  the  Club  Hotel's  steam  tender,  and  landed  with 
comfort,  thereby  avoiding  the  tedious  bargaining 
about  tariff,  as  well  as  the  danger  of  being-  drenched 
and  half  drowned  by  the  natives  before  reaching 
shore,  which  experience  I  had  met  with  in  other 
Asiatic  ports. 

The  word  Yokohama  signifies  "  opposite  shore," 
this  city  lying  opposite  to  Kanagawa.  The  latter 
place  was  for  many  years  the  residence  of  foreign- 
ers ;  but  of  late  years  they  have  been  permitted  to 
remove  their  business  quarters  to  Yokohama, 
which  is  the  leading  treaty  seaport  in  Japan.  It  is 
a  city  of  50,000  inhabitants,  including  4,000  foreign- 
ers, is  built  principally  on  level  ground,  and  is  sur- 
rounded on  three  sides  by  ranges  of  hills.  Several 
canals  are  cut  through  the  city,  and  these  are  crossed 
by  bridges  in  every  direction. 


Yokohama.  355 

The  European  settlement  extends  along  the 
water  front  a  long  distance,  and  is  called  the  Bund. 
It  contains  some  large  commercial  houses,  steam- 
ship offices,  numerous  banks,  three  churches  and  a 
few  good  hotels.  Among  the  latter  the  leading 
ones  are  the  Windsor,  the  Grand,  and  Club  Hotels, 
at  all  of  which  the  rate  is  three  dollars  per  day. 
This  locality  was  formerly  a  swamp  ;  but,  since  its 
cession  to  Europeans,  it  has  been  reclaimed,  and  it 
is  now  the  most  beautiful  part  of  the  city. 

The  more  prominent  among  the  European  resi- 
dents, the  consuls,  merchants  and  missionaries,  have 
.their  private  residences  on  a  lofty  eminence  called 
the  "  Bluff,"  from  which  I  had  a  fine  view  of  the 
city  and  bay.  This  elevation  reminded  me  of  Nob 
Hill,  in  San  Francisco,  only  it  is  of  much  less  im- 
portance. I  made  many  acquaintances  living  here, 
and  used  to  make  frequent  visits  to  the  "  Bluff," 
and,  in  the  society  of  my  newly  found  friend,  Mr. 
Jensen,  and  his  estimable  wife,  passed  many  pleas- 
ant hours. 

The  principal  business  portion  of  the  city  is  con- 
fined to  Main  street,  which,  from  its  width  and  the 
architecture  of  its  buildings,  bears  evidence  of 
European  civilization  and  enterprise.  Porcelain 
factories,  silk  establishments  and  tea  warehouses, 
where  by  a  certain  process  the  moisture  is  extracted 
from  the  tea,  and  the  leaves  are  cured  and  prepared 
for  the  foreign  market,  are  among  the  enterprises 


356  Around  the  World. 

started  by  foreign  capitalists.  A  stroll  through  the 
principal  tea  establishments,  where  hundreds  of 
native  women  are  engaged  in  taking  the  tea  through 
these  various  processes  until  the  finishing  touch 
was  reached,  was  very  interesting  and  instructive. 

The  various  nations  of  the  world  are  well  repre- 
sented at  this  port,  and  the  flags  flying  from  the 
different  consulates  designate  the  different  coun- 
tries  represented.  The  American  Consul,  Mr. 
Green,  was  the  only  one  I  had  occasion  to  call  on, 
as  it  was  necessary  to  procure  a  passport  from  him, 
which  document  I  afterward  found  to  be  as  useful 
as  coin,  in  my  travels  from  Yokohama  through  the 
interior,  whenever  I  crossed  the  treaty  limits. 

The  native  portion  of  Yokohama  is  full  of 
strange  and  interesting  sights,  and  the  principal 
streets  are  illuminated  with  Japanese  paper  lan- 
terns. One  noticeable  feature  on  the  streets  is  the 
low-story  booths,  tea  houses  and  the  public  bathing 
houses.  The  principal  streets  in  this  quarter  are 
Bentondora  and  Hanchdora,  the  shops  along  which 
are  crowded  with  native  wares  and  curios  of  every 
description,  either  in  porcelain,  silk  or  lacquer  cabi- 
nets, any  of  which  can  be  purchased  at  astonish- 
ingly low  prices. 

It  is  here  where  tourists  generally  make  large 
purchases  of  presents,  souvenirs  and  curios  for 
their  friends  at  home.  The  duty  I  paid  at  San 
Francisco    on    my   collections   amounted  to   more 


Public  Bathing.  357 

than  the  original  purchase  price  in  Yokohama. 
Some  of  the  merchants  display  their  goods  and 
wares  on  the  open  streets  ;  and,  in  the  little  booths 
fronting  the  streets,  whole  families  can  be  seen 
sitting  in  groups,  flat  on  the  floor,  around  a  brazier 
of  hot  coals,  smoking  their  pipes.  There  are 
numerous  theatres  where  the  same  silly  perform- 
ance heretofore  described  can  be  witnessed  for  two 
cents.  The  tea  houses  and  dance  houses  are  of 
the  same  character  as  I  found  in  other  Japanese 
cities,  and  a  stranger  has  no  desire  to  visit  one  a 
second  time. 

The  most  singular  custom  which  attracts  the 
attention  of  the  visitor  is  the  manner  in  which 
public  bathing  is  conducted.  The  public  bathing 
houses  are  free  for  inspection  from  the  sidewalks, 
and  you  can  sometimes  see  thirty  or  forty  women 
bathing  at  the  same  time,  and  oftentimes  as  many 
as  150  may  be  seen  bathing  in  the  same  water. 
On  disrobing,  they  plunge  into  a  large  wooden 
vat,  where  the  process  of  scrubbing  and  washing  is 
kept  up  for  nearly  an  hour,  and  they  are  constantly 
going  and  coming,  dressing  and  undressing.  These 
bathing  establishments,  being  public  institutions, 
sanctioned  by  the  government,  any  passer-by  has  a 
right  to  look  in  and  witness  the  performance  ;  and, 
this  being  an  old  custom  among  the  people,  these 
women  are  perfectly  indifferent  whether  Europeans 
or  natives  watch  their  plunging  and  splashing.     At 


(358; 


Man-Power  versus  Horse-Power.  359 

the  entrance  is  a  gate-keeper,  who  allows  none  but 
females  of -respectability  to  enter.  Up  to  within 
the  last  few  years  it  was  the  custom  for  males  and 
females  to  bathe  together  ;  but  now  they  have  a 
railing  which  separates  the  sexes.  Bathing  is 
indulged  in  daily  by  the  Japanese,  and,  if  cleanli- 
ness is  akin  to  godliness,  surely  the  Japanese  can 
claim  the  kinship.  In  this  and  in  many  other 
customs  the  Japanese  are  behind  the  civilization  of 
the  age. 

The  common  mode  of  travel  in  Japan  is  by 
means  of  the'two-wheeled  jinrikishia,  shaped  some- 
thing like  a  small  gig,  and  generally  drawn  by  a 
single  coolie,  except  for  rapid  traveling,  when  two 
are  employed.  It  is  quite  a  comfortable  and  con- 
venient means  of  travel,  enabling  a  siorht-seer  to 
ride  over  the  streets  of  a  city  and  its  surroundings 
almost  as  rapidly  as  he  could  with  a  team  of  horses. 
A  large  number  of  these  coolies  have  picked  up 
sufficient  English  to  enable  them  to  explain  the 
various  objects  of  interest  as  they  travel  along, 
and  in  this  manner  the  tourist  is  saved  the  expense 
of  employing  an  interpreter. 

From  Yokohama  and  Tokio,  I  made  many 
excursions  to  the  interior  in  this  kind  of  a  rig,  the 
motive  power  being  two  coolies,  who  would  haul  me 
along  at  the  rate  of  fifty  miles  a  clay,  for  which 
valuable  service  they  charged  me  sixty  cents  a  day, 
furnishing  their  own  foodr  which  consisted  chiefly 


360  Around  the  World. 

of  rice,  tea  and  brandy,  or  at  least  a  substitute  for 
the  latter, — a  kind  of  innocent  liquor  made  of  rice. 
One  would  think  that  very  little  could  be  made  at 
such  low  wages  ;  but  everything  in  Japan  is  corre- 
spondingly low.  I  have  seen  these  coolies,  when 
on  the  way,  stop  for  refreshments  and  rest,  as  they 
usually  did  at  stations  every  fifteen  miles,  and  pay 
one  cent  for  a  glass  of  brandy,  one  cent  for  a  cup 
of  tea,  and  two  cents  for  a  mess  of  rice,  while  raw 
fish  and  other  luxuries  would  be  correspondingly 
low. 

Another  mode  of  travel,  in  which  I  also  had 
some  experience,  was  by  means  of  the  sedan  chair, 
or,  as  it  is  sometimes  called,  the  traveling  chair,  in 
which  I  was  carried  by  two  half-naked  coolies,  with 
a  bamboo  pole  resting  upon  their  shoulders.  This 
mode  of  travel,  used  in  the  hilly  districts,  and  over 
rough  and  broken  sections,  is  fast  going  out  of  use  ; 
but,  in  the  narrow  streets  in  China,  it  is  the  princi- 
pal means  of  conveyance. 

Wagons  of  any  kind  are  almost  unknown  in 
Japan,  the  only  vehicle  used  as  a  substitute  being 
the  large  two-wheeled  carts  which  are  pushed  and 
pulled  by  a  number  of  coolies,  according  to  the 
size  of  the  load.  I  have  often  seen  a  half-dozen  of 
these  coolies  moving  one  of  these  carts  loaded  with 
produce,  to  market,  a  distance  of  twenty  miles. 
Everything  seemed  to  be  operated  with  man  power, 
and  this  power  was  certainly  utilized  for  everything 


Cultivation  and  Productions.  361 

for  which  it  could  be  made  available,  which  is  but 
natural  among  a  poverty-stricken  people,  and  in  an 
over-populated  country. 

Horses  are  few  in  number  and  of  an  inferior 
breed.  Chubby  ponies,  smaller  than  the  California 
mustang,  are  used  principally  in  the  mountainous 
districts  as  pack  animals.  I  have  seen  a  long  string 
of  these  animals  with  lumber  and  poles  thirty  feet 
long  packed  lengthwise  on  a  saddle  frame  as  long 
as  their  backs.  The  only  advantage  I  could  see  to 
the  horse  by  this  arrangement  of  the  load  was  that 
he  was  enabled  to  walk  in  the  shade  of  his  burden, 
which  projected  twelve  feet  beyond  his  head  and 
tail. 

From  Yokohama  to  Tokio  was  a  pleasant  rail- 
way ride  of  eighteen  miles,  the  Pacific  Ocean  being 
in  full  view  nearly  the  whole  distance.  The  route 
ran  through  a  level  and  prosperous  country,  every 
acre  of  which  was  cultivated  ;  and  it  seemed  like 
riding  through  continuous  gardens  of  rice,  tea  and 
vegetables. 

Wheat  is  also  raised,  though  on  a  very  small 
scale,  and  generally  as  a  second  crop  after  the  rice 
and  other  crops  have  been  removed.  It  is  planted 
in  rows,  and  the  crops  raised  amount  to  compara- 
tively nothing  for  such  a  large  population.  What 
small  quantity  is  raised  is  converted  into  a  coarse 
meal,  and  made  into  sweet-cakes,  which  are  served 
as  refreshments.      The  European  population  of  the 


362  Around  the  World. 

empire    import    their   flour    from    India    and    San 
Francisco. 

Tokio,  the  seat  of  government,  or  the  new  and 
eastern  capital,  covers  a  greater  area  than  New 
York  City.  It  has  a  population  of  nearly  one 
million,  is  intersected  by  numerous  canals  and 
bridges,  and  contains  a  greater  variety  of  sights  of 
interest  than  any  other  city  in  the  Orient.  Here  I 
also  found  many  temples,  shrines  and  every  idol- 
atrous object  appertaining  to  heathendom.  The 
most  imposing  sights  were  the  Shibba  Temples  and 
surroundings,  from  which  a  beautiful  view  can  be 
obtained  of  the  city  and  surrounding  country  in 
different  directions,  a  distance  of  eight  or  ten 
miles. 

The  Osaka  temples,  in  the  Osaka  district,  were 
also  objects  of  special  interest.  The  Temple  of 
Kin  Kin  Zan  is  an  enormous  structure,  with  a  costly 
ornamented  exterior,  and  with  its  altar  ornamented 
with  bronze  and  gold.  The  walks  to  this  temple 
were  thronged  with  worshipers  who  were  hastening 
to  perform  religious  rites  to  their  imaginary  gods. 
To  hear  and  see  how  devotional  they  were  while 
pleading  to  these  glaring  images  for  mercy  was  a 
touching  scene.  They  bow  and  clap  their  hands 
repeatedly,  calling  to  their  idols  in  most  imploring 
tones,  and  cluster  around  these  inanimate  figures 
with  offerings.  In  the  performance  of  these  super- 
stitious  rites,  they  often  work  themselves    into  a 


To  kid —  The  Mikado  s  Palace.  363 

state  of  unconsciousness,  like  the  negroes  of  the 
South  in  their  religious  fervor. 

As  usual,  a  priest  with  shaven  head  was  on  hand 
to  take  the  small  admission  fee,  and  do  the  honors 
to  visitors.  Inside  of  the  temple  grounds,  there 
were  tea  booths,  bazaars,  art  galleries,  theatrical 
performances  and  other  attractions.  This  temple 
and  its  surroundings,  so  closely  mixed  up  with 
idolatries,  business  life  and  pleasure  resorts,  makes 
the  Osaka  district  one  of  the  most  important  and 
curious  places  to  visit  in  the  city.  Near  this  temple 
stands  the  statue  of  the  Goddess  Emma,  encircled 
by  a  cluster  of  children. 

I  also  visited  while  here  the  Mikado's  Palace, 
which  was  in  course  of  construction  in  place  of  the 
one  burned  down  a  few  years  ago.  It  will  be  a 
magnificent  building  when  finished.  The  Citadel, 
the  Castle  and  fortifications  were  also  inspected  by 
me  with  much  interest.  The  Imperial  buildings 
correspond  with  the  architecture  of  other  important 
buildings  throughout  the  city,  and  are  all  built  low, 
in  all  probability  on  account  of  the  frequency  of 
earthquakes.  Tokio  and  its  environs  contain  many 
dilapidated  temples,  the  wreck  and  ruin  of  which 
were  caused  by  earthquakes,  fire,  war  and  other 
destructive  agencies. 

While  here  I  visited  Veno,  three  miles  from  the 
centre  of  the  city,  where,  among  many  other  objects 
of  interest,  can  be  seen  the  main  museum,  which  I 


364  Around  the  World. 

found  filled  with  all  kinds  of  ancient  wares,  imple- 
ments, tools,  coins,  swords,  etc.,  revealing  to  a  cer- 
tain extent  the  character  and  customs  of  the  early- 
inhabitants  of  the  island.  Every  kind  of  wild  ani- 
mal peculiar  to  the  country  was  well  represented  in 
the  collection  of  skins  deposited  here.  In  point  of 
interest  and  display,  I  found  the  museum  and  art 
gallery  a  fair  sample  of  many  I  saw  in  Europe. 

In  Veno  I  found  many  elegant  gardens  and 
ornamental  residences  belonging  to  the  more  opu- 
lent citizens  of  Tokio.  Here  also  are  many 
imposing  tombs  of  the  Shoguns,  the  former  rulers 
of  Japan,  among  them  being  one  who  concluded  a 
treaty  with  the  United  States  a  few  years  ago.  I 
regret  that  space  will  not  permit  a  more  complete 
and  interesting  description  of  all  of  these  wonder- 
ful sights  ;  but  I  must  journey  on. 

Leaving  Tokio,  I  visited  Nikko,  situated  seventy- 
five  miles  in  the  interior,  and  amidst  the  grandest 
mountain  scenery  in  the  empire.  This  journey 
included  a  ride  by  rail  to  Utsonomaya,  fifty  miles 
from  Tokio,  and  through  a  moist,  level  country, 
planted  largely  in  tropical  fruits. 

At  Utsonomaya  myself  and  guide  put  up  at  the 
Yama  Hotel,  the  most  important  in  the  town, 
where  I  was  served,  in  pure  native  style,  with  all 
the  luxuries  of  the  land,  and  I  might  add  that  the 
enjoyment  afforded  by  the  native  customs  was  more 
palatable  than  the  articles  on  the  bill  of  fare.      I 


Sumptuous  Supper.  365 

have  already  mentioned  the  remarkable  politeness 
of  the  Japanese,  and,  as  usual,  I  was  entertained 
with  it  here.  On  entering  the  hotel,  I  was  met  at 
the  door  by  the  host,  hostess  and  a  servant,  each  of 
whom  made  salutations  by  bowing  three  times,  at 
the  last  bow  falling  down  on  their  knees,  and 
almost  touching  the  floor  with  their  heads. 

According  to  custom,  my  shoes  were  removed, 
and  I  was  politely  invited  up-stairs  in  my  stocking 
feet  into  the  parlor,  which  I  found  to  be  kept  as 
neat  as  a  pin,  but  as  bare  of  furniture  as  a  barn, 
except  a  straw  carpet  laid  on  a  springy  bamboo 
floor.  Here  I  was  invited  to  be  seated  on  a  mat 
placed  in  the  middle  of  the  floor,  and  a  little 
brazier  of  hot  coals  was  left  near  my  feet,  while  the 
servant  girl  brought  me  a  cup  of  tea,  without  a 
saucer,  with  some  native  refreshments.  The  only 
objection  I  had  to  the  tea  was  that  the  cup  was  too 
small,  containing  not  more  than  four  thimblefuls 
of  the  beverage. 

Supper  was  served  in  half  an  hour.  Half-boiled 
rice  was  brought  in  a  wooden  tub  the  size  of  a  peck 
measure,  and  the  other  dainty  dishes  were  raw  fish, 
native  brandy  warmed,  shark's  fins,  and  a  mixture 
of  vegetables,  soy  and  sea  weed.  Two  chop-sticks 
were  furnished  me  to  gather  in  the  food  with,  and 
within  two  feet  of  this  sumptuous  repast  were  two 
blushing  maidens  watching  and  attending  to  my 
wants. 


366  Around  the  World. 

One  of  these,  kneeling  on  the  floor,  held  in  her 
hands  a  wooden  tray,  from  which  I  received  my 
rice  in  a  tiny  cup,  which,  as  soon  as  emptied,  was 
to  be  replaced  on  the  tray  to  be  refilled  by  her 
from  the  smoking  rice  tub.  This  was  to  be  filled 
and  refilled  as  often  as  I  should  desire  it.  This 
maiden  served  the  meal,  while  the  other  stood 
upright  in  her  white  stocking  feet,  ready  for  extra 
service,  such  as  keeping  the  paper-light  or  fire-box 
in  proper  order  ;  or,  if  anything  else  should  be 
wanted  from  the  kitchen,  such  as  raw  fish  or 
warm  brandy,  for  instance,  she  would  glide  after  it 
as  noiselessly  as  a  ghost.  They  watched  me 
amusedly  in  my  awkward  efforts  to  eat  with  the 
chop-sticks,  with  which,  though  difficult  to  handle, 
I  managed  to  catch  all  the  rice  my  appetite 
required.  I  did  not  indulge  in  the  rest  of  the 
luxuries  (?),  on  account  of  the  offensive  flavor,  which 
I  found  to  be  most  disagreeable  to  both  taste  and 
smell. 

Some  little  time  after  this  dining  and  wining  had 
concluded,  and  when  the  hour  was  growing  late,  I 
was  invited  to  take  a  bath  before  retiring-  for  the 
night,  which  I  was  obliged  to  consent  to,  owing  to 
the  strict  custom  of  the  country  to  indulge  in  the 
luxury  of  the  Uath  every  night.  If  I  had  deviated 
from  this  custom  or  declined,  it  would  have  lowered 
me  in  the  estimation  of  the  household,  and  doomed 
me  as  an  unclean  person,  much  lower  in  their  esti- 


(367) 


368  Around  the  World. 

mation  than  one  who  should  decline  to  wash  his 
face  and  hands  before  going  to  breakfast,  would  be 
with  us. 

I  was  escorted  to  the  bath-room  by  the  two 
female  servants  and  my  guide.  The  room  con- 
tained a  large  oblong  vat,  with  warm  and  cold 
water,  and  I  was  informed  by  my  guide  that  it  was 
the  custom  for  the  two  maid  servants  to  wait  on 
me  while  at  the  bath  ;  that  they  were  there  for  the 
purpose  of  rubbing  and  scrubbing  me  with  brushes 
and  towels  until  I  was  perfectly  clean. 

Truly,  I  had  been  convinced  and  struck  with  the 
politeness,  kindness  and  hospitality  of  the  Japanese; 
but  I  now  began  to  think  they  were  going  to  kill 
me  with  these  qualities,  and,  for  the  first  time  in 
my  life,  I  thought  I  had  too  much  of  a  good  thing. 
As  a  few  hours  before  they  had  tried  to  overfeed 
me,  now  they  were  going  to  try  to  overwash  me ; 
so  I  declined  their  service,  and  told  them  that, 
according  to  our  American  custom,  we  rubbed  and 
scrubbed  ourselves  while  bathing,  and  that  I  must 
stick  to  that  rule  or  not  bathe  at  all,  upon  which 
they  gracefully  withdrew,  and  I  was  left  alone  to 
take  the  plunge.  The  only  objection  I  found  to 
the  bath  was  that  everybody  bathed  in  the  same 
vat  and  in  the  same  water,  the  water  being  changed 
only  once  a  day. 

However,  I  came  from  that  bath  a  wiser  and  a 
cleaner    man,   and,   returning    to    my  bare    parlor, 


Sleeping  in  Native  Style.  369 

entered  into  speculations  as  to  how  I  should  sleep 
during"  the  night,  as  neither  bedstead  nor  bedr 
clothes  were  in  sight.  But  a  few  moments  elapsed, 
however,  before  two  heavy  quilts  were  brought  in, 
one  of  which  was  spread  in  the  centre  of  the  floor 
to  lie  on,  and  the  other  had  long  sleeves  in  it 
like  an  overcoat.  After  the  two  maids  had  assisted 
me  in  getting  my  arms  into  its  sleeves,  and  a  hollow 
wooden  block  to  fit  my  neck  for  a  pillow  had  been 
furnished,  I  was  invited  to  lie  down,  which  I  did. 
Near  my  wooden  pillow  was  placed  a  brazier  of  hot 
coals  to  keep  me  warm  during  the  night,  and  a  kind 
of  grease-light,  in  a  paper  lantern,  was  left  on  the 
floor  near  my  feet,  and  kept  burning  all  night. 

My  guide  was  put  to  bed  in  the  same  manner  at 
the  door,  as  a  body  guard.  He  was  a  guardian  to 
be  most  feared,  as  he  had  the  best  opportunity  of 
robbing  me.  In  the  slide  door  stood  the  two  little 
black-eyed  beauties  watching  my  awkward  move- 
ments as  long  as  my  eyes  remained  open.  They 
could  not  have  been  married,  for  their  teeth  were 
not  blackened.  I  was  to  all  appearances  more  of  a 
curiosity  to  them  than  their  strange  customs  were 
to  me.  I  was  treated  to  a  shock  of  earthquake 
during  the  night,  a  frequent  visitor  in  Japan  ;  but 
it  must  have  been  a  light  one,  as  neither  the  bam- 
boo walls  nor  the  paper  windows  were  affected  by 
it.  Morning  came,  and,  finding  myself  not  robbed, 
I  at  once  placed  more  confidence  in  my  guide  ;  and 
24 


370  Around  the  World. 

here  let  me  say,  that  I  was  never  robbed  out  of  a 
farthing,  either  in  Japan  or  on  any  other  part  of 
my  journey,  except  in  the  extra  tips  I  had  to  pay 
waiters  and  guides,  which  many  tourists  style 
"highway  robbery." 

For  this  interesting  nisfht's  accommodation  the 
rates  were  as  reasonable  as  could  be  expected,  tak- 
ing into  consideration  the  various  extras  and  atten- 
tion  furnished.  Forty  cents  paid  my  entire  bill, 
including  the  bath,  hot  coals,  light,  etc.  I  was 
charged  half-price  for  my  guide,  as  he  was  con- 
sidered of  much  less  dignity,  and  had  to  be  con- 
tented with  common  fare  and  attention.  I  almost 
forgot  to  mention  that  my  passport  was  examined 
here  by  an  officer,  and,  on  my  identification  as  an 
American  citizen,  all  was  well,  as  the  citizens  of 
this  country  are  held  in  higher  regard  than  those 
of  any  other.  This  is  a  fair  description  of  the 
customs,  fare,  etc.,  of  the  interior  hotels  in  Japan, 
and  every  foreign  tourist  in  search  of  pleasure 
will  be  likely  to  share  the  same  comforts,  and  be 
served  with  like  fare  and  attentions,  as  I  have  here 
related. 

There  are  no  European  settlers  in  the  rural  dis- 
tricts of  Japan,  and  no  hotels  kept  on  the  European 
plan.  The  Japanese  in  these  districts  do  not  want 
to  sell  or  rent  land  to  foreigners,  and  do  not  allow 
them  to  become  interested  in  any  public  enterprise, 
or  get  a  foothold  or  controlling  interest  in  anything; 


i 


Utsonomaya  to  Nikko.  371 

and  these  restrictions  are  especially  enforced  against 
the  British.  The  Japanese,  being  a  wide-awake 
nation,  want  to  manage  their  own  affairs,  and  are 
aiming  to  place  themselves  on  a  level  with  other 
civilized  countries. 

At  Utsonomaya  I  hired  a  pair  of  coolies  and  two 
two- wheeled  jinrikishias  to  convey  myself  and  guide 
to  Nikko,  a  distance  of  twenty-two  miles.  The 
road  was  a  steady  incline  until  we  reached  Nikko, 
at  an  altitude  of  2,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
sea.  The  route  was  very  attractive,  both  sides  of 
the  road  being  regularly  lined  with  shade  trees, 
which,  on  account  of  their  age,  were  of  enormous 
size.  They  must  have  been  planted  by  former 
rulers  over  1,000  years  ago,  and  the  shade  from 
them  proved  a  boon  to  the  weary  traveler. 

We  soon  arrived  at  Nikko,  the  headquarters  of 
the  Buddha  and  Shinto  sects.  This  place  contains 
many  imposing  temples,  and  some  of  the  grandest 
mountain  scenery  in  Japan,  including  cascades, 
rushing  waterfalls,  lofty  mountains,  rugged  cliffs 
and  crags,  and  arches  of  the  most  curious  formation. 

I  found  here  a  group  of  forty-seven  temples  of 
most  stately  structure,  and  of  grand  architectural 
design,  carved  and  engraved  on  the  exterior,  and 
with  ornamental  altars  in  gold  and  bronze  in  the 
interior.  Thousands  of  tons  of  bronze  must  have 
been  used  in  their  construction,  and,  since  leaving 
Rome,  I   had  seen  no  such  imposing  splendors  to 


,     i3!l  II 


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(372) 


Nikko,  the  Rome  of  Japan.  873 

excite  my  admiration  as  I  found  here  in  Nikko, 
which  has  been  truly  styled  the  Rome  of  Japan. 

This  is  the  burial  place  of  Toku  Iyyani,  the 
founder  of  the  Shogun  dynasty,  and  one  of  the  most 
celebrated  warriors  in  Japanese  history.  The  sacred 
ground  containing  the  ashes  of  this  distinguished 
ruler  is  on  a  sloping  hill,  to  which  I  gained  access 
by  following  my  guide  up  a  long  flight  of  granite 
steps,  through  temples  filled  with  glittering  objects 
in  gold  and  bronze,  and  guarded  by  shaven-headed 
priests.  My  guide  was  kept  busy  explaining  to  me 
the  wonderful  sights  met  with  on  this  journey,  and 
my  memorandum  book  seemed  fast  filling  with 
descriptions  of  temples,  shrines,  tombs  and  statues, 
much  of  which,  I  regret,  for  want  of  space  must  be 
omitted  from  this  narrative. 

After  a  few  days  of  sight-seeing  in  this  wonder- 
ful city,  I  returned  to  Yokohama  via  Tokio.  My 
next  expedition  was  to  Enoshima,  a  little  island, 
twenty-two  miles  from  Yokohama,  a  lovely  resort, 
and  one  of  the  first  places  visited  by  tourists  after 
they  have  done  the  sights  of  Yokohama.  One  of 
the  curious  features  of  this  island  is  a  natural  cave, 
400  feet  long,  which  penetrates  the  bluff  near  the 
level  of  the  sea.  This  cave  contains  many  sacred 
relics,  idols  guarded  by  priests,  who  charge  a  small 
fee  of  admission  to  view  the  secrets  contained 
within  its  lone  and  crooked  recesses. 

This  island  is  full  of  native  shops,  well  stocked 


374 


Around  the  World. 


with  shells,  beads  and  other  curios  gathered  from 
the  sea,  and  many  of  the  natives  make  a  living  in 
this  way,  depending  on  visitors  for  customers. 
From  this  island  I  obtained  a  beautiful  view  in 
every  direction.     The  ocean  seemed  alive  with  its 


Bronze  Image  of  Buddha. 


clusters  of  fishing  boats,  and  other  drifting  objects, 
which  added  to  the  attractiveness  of  the  scene. 

Returning  to  Yokohama,  which  had  now  become 
the  central  point  of  all  of  my  movements,  I 
started  with  my  jinrikishia  and  coolie  team  for 
Kamakura,  where  Diebutsi,  the  great  bronze  image 


Photograph  Taken  on  Image  of  Buddha.     375 

or  statue  of  Buddha,  is  located.  It  was  cast  over 
600  years  ago  ;  is  fifty-three  feet  high,  and  ninety- 
six  feet  in  circumference,  and  the  face  is  ei^ht  and 
a  half  feet  long-  and  sixteen  feet  wide.  I  found 
the  inside  hollow,  and  the  space  within  used  as  a 
temple.  This  image  is  in  every  respect  a  most 
wonderful  piece  of  workmanship.  According  to 
the  usual  custom  among  tourists,  I  had  my  photo- 
graph taken,  with  the  image  as  a  background,  being 
placed  in  a  sitting  posture  on  one  of  its  thumbs, 
from  which  my  figure  appears  insignificant  when 
compared  with  the  enormous  proportions  of  the 
statue. 

Kamakura  is  eighteen  miles  from  Yokohama. 
It  was  the  capital  of  Japan  from  1190,  during  a 
period  of  about  400  years  ;  and  the  military  head- 
quarters of  Toriton,  a  famous  Prince  in  Japanese 
history,  were  established  here.  Kamakura  con- 
tains several  grand  temples,  the  most  imposing  of 
which  is  the  Tsurugoaka  Hill,  a  temple  of  Shinto 
origin,  which  I  entered  by  climbing  a  flight  of 
fifty-eight  steps.  Here  I  was  shown  many  old 
relics,  swords,  curious  designs  of  bows  and  arrows, 
pieces  of  blades,  and  many  other  weapons  used  by 
a  warlike  people.  These  silent  monitors  were 
representatives  of  stormy  and  warlike  periods  in 
the  nation's  history,  and,  while  preserved  as 
objects  of  curiosity  by  the  natives,  they  are  of 
eqiial  interest  to  the  foreign  visitor. 


376  Around  the  World. 

While  here  I  visited  the  tomb  of  Bill  Adams,  an 
English  pilot,  and  the  first  white  man  who  died  in 
Japan. 

Leaving  this  tomb  with  my  coolie  outfit,  I  was 
soon  hurried  into  the  streets  of  Yokaski,  a  favorite 
seaside  resort,  frequented  by  many  visitors  from 
Yokohama.  This  place,  according  to  its  size,  was 
the  most  stirring  place  I  visited  in  the  empire. 
The  government  Navy  Yard,  dry  docks  and 
Arsenal  are  located  here.  I  saw  many  new  ships 
in  course  of  construction,  and  many  old  ones 
launched  for  repairs.  Some  oi  the  largest  machine 
shops  in  the  East  are  located  here,  and  2,000 
mechanics  of  various  grades  are  employed,  at 
wages  ranging  from  twenty  to  fifty  cents  a  day, 
without  board.  A  visit  to  this  busy  city  can  not 
fail  to  impress  the  visitor  with  the  enterprise  of  the 
Japanese. 

I  returned  to  Yokohama,  twelve  miles  away,  on 
a  little  steamer,  which  made  four  regular  trips  a 
day.  The  picturesque  scenery  along  the  coast 
served  to  remind  me  that  Nature  had  bestowed  her 
favors  upon  Japan  with  a  lavish  hand.  What 
food  for  an  artist  these  lovely  islands,  picturesque 
shores  and  inland  attractions  would  afford  !  The 
next  place  visited  was  the  favorite  health  and 
pleasure  resort  called  Miya-Notta,  which  contains 
several  mineral  springs  of  a  sulphurous  nature, 
visited   by  many   natives  and  tourists,  who  drink 


Christianizing  the  Heathen.  377 

and  bathe  in  the  waters.  It  is  situated  in  the 
midst  of  beautiful  mountain  scenery,  to  reach 
which  I  traveled  via  Odawara  in  the  usual  tandem 
style. 

From  Odawara  the  road  was  over  a  rough  and 
broken  trail,  and  I  was  obliged  to  change  my  mode 
of  conveyance  to  the  sedan  chair,  which  has  been 
described  before.  After  traveling  extensively  over 
China  and  Japan,  I  had  become  accustomed  to  the 
different  modes  of  travel,  and  was  now  equal  *to 
any  emergency. 

The  district  traversed  by  us  appeared  to  be 
occupied  chiefly  by  peasants,  who  lived  in  dilapi- 
dated huts,  situated  in  the  centre  of  their  patch- 
fields,  which  were  cultivated  chiefly  to  rice,  vege- 
tables and  tea.  Their  lot  seemed  to  be  to  live 
poor  and  die  poor.  Japan,  though  ground  down 
with  taxation  and  over-population,  has  less  paupers, 
I  am  informed,  than  any  other  nation,  according  to 
population. 

Before  leaving  Yokohama  to  resume  my  travels, 
I  visited  several  Japanese  Christian  churches  and 
schools.  Many  of  these  heathen  have  been  con- 
verted to  Christianity  through  these  influences. 
English  is  taught  in  these  schools,  and  the  teach- 
ers and  missionaries  of  both  English  and  American 
nationalities  work  harmoniously  together  in 
christianizing  and  educating  the  people.  I  con- 
versed with  Mr.  Bennett  and  Mr.  Jewel,  mission- 


378  Around  the  World. 

aries,  and  with  Mr.  Baker,  a  teacher,  who  informed 
me  that  much  good  had  been  accomplished  through 
their  labor  and  influence.  These  schools  were 
well  attended  by  many  nations,  who  rapidly  learn 
the  English  language.  Several  young  Japs  acted 
as  assistant  teachers.  I  noticed  that  many  Euro- 
peans had  mastered  the  Japanese  language  and 
spoke  it  with  perfect  ease.  Notwithstanding  that 
their  language  has  forty-seven  letters,  it  is  an  easy 
language  to  learn. 

I  found  the  churches  filled  with  peopie  of  every 
age,  who  seemed  very  devoted  to  their  new-found 
religion.  To  see  these  natives  in  a  Christian 
church,  on  their  knees,  in  white  stocking  feet,  and 
especially  the  chubby  children,  was  a  novel  scene. 
You  can  always  correctly  estimate  the  number  of 
people  in  a  Japanese  church  before  you  enter,  by 
counting  the  number  of  shoes  left  outside  the 
door. 

The  author  sent  the  following  communication 
from  Yokohama  to  the  Modesto,  Cal.,  Herald : 

LETTER   FROM   JAPAN. 

Yokohama,  Japan,  Jan.  28,  1SS6. 

Editor  Herald: — Since  my  last  letter,  sent  you  from  Canton,  China, 
I  am  now  1,800  miles  nearer  home.  For  several  weeks  I  have  traveled 
extensively  in  Japan,  and  I  find  it  the  most  beautiful  and  interesting  of  any 
country  I  have  seen  during  my  whole  journey  around  the  world.  I  find  the 
people  here  nearer  up  to  the  scale  of  our  advanced  civilization  than  in  China 
or  India,  and,  as  a  rule,  they  are  gentlemanly  and  polite.  If  a  stranger 
enters  a  Japanese  house,  he  is  cordially  met  in  the  doorway,  and  salutations 
are  made  by  bowing  the  head  twice  near  to  the  floor.     In  the  seaboard  cities 


Letter  from  Japan.  379 

they  are  largely  imitating  the  Europeans,  both  in  customs  and  costumes;  but 
in  the  interior  I  had  to  use  chop-sticks,  the  same  as  in  China. 

I  have  visited  all  the  leading  places  of  interest  in  Japan, — temples,  tea 
plantations,  navy  yards,  arsenals,  tea-drying  establishments,  silk  works,  por- 
celain factories,  bazaars,  public  bathing  houses,  tea  houses,  theatres,  castles, 
rice  fields  and  the  depositories  of  relics  all  over  the  country.  The  grandest 
place  for  sight-seeing  is  Nikko.  It  is  called  the  Rome  of  Japan.  This 
point  I  have  just  been  visiting.  It  is  ninety-five  miles  from  Yokohama, 
located  in  the  midst  of  a  group  of  picturesque  mountains.  Here  are  forty- 
seven  stately  temples,  many  of  which  are  ornamented  with  costly,  glittering 
bronze.  Nikko  is  the  ancient  headquarters  for  the  two  prevailing  religions 
of  the  country,  the  Shinto  and  the  Buddhist.  The  latter  is  the  principal 
one  and  the  most  pious.  Among  other  attractions  are  waterfalls  that  con- 
tinually flow  near  the  temples  from  the  snow-clad  mountains.  Here  are 
large  pagodas,  images  of  many  descriptions,  representing  the  Japan  gods, 
and  other  curious  relics  and  scenes  to  attract  the  eyes  of  a  tourist  and  arrest 
his  attention. 

The  interesting  places  which  I  have  visited,  aside  from  those  mentioned, 
are  Tokio,  the  capital  ;  Osaka  ;  Kioto,  the  old  capital  ;  Nagasaki,  Kobe, 
Kamakura,  and  Yokaski,  the  government  Navy  Yard  of  Japan.  Near  by 
here  I  saw  the  grave  of  Bill  Adams,  an  English  pilot,  and  the  first  white 
man  ever  buried  in  Japan.  Near  by  is  also  the  great  image  of  Dibutsi,  the 
Japanese  god,  where  I  had  my  photograph  taken  on  the  thumb  of  the 
image.  The  Inland  Sea  of  Japan,  over  which  I  traveled  for  240  miles,  is  the 
most  beautiful  sheet  of  water  I  have  sailed  on  in  my  whole  journey.  This 
coast  has  the  most  beautiful  and  picturesque  landscape  scenery  from  the 
shores  to  the  hill-tops,  which  surround  it  in  every  direction,  and  the  water  of 
the  sea  is  dotted  with  fishing  boats,  which  add  beauty  to  the  sight  all  along 
the  coast.  The  ride  I  had  over  this  silvery  sea,  with  its  thousands  of  attrac- 
tions, will  never  grow  dim  in  my  memory. 

In  a  few  days  I  will  embark  for  the  Sandwich  Islands,  the  last  country  I 
will  have  to  visit  before  I  have  accomplished  my  tour  around  the  world. 

Yours  truly,  Osmun  Johnson. 

In  a  week's  travel  through  Japan,  I  had  witnessed 
many  wonderful  sights,  and  visited  many  famous 
places  ;  I  had  studied  her  resources  and  the  customs 
and  industries  of  her  people ;  I  had  seen  more  of 
her  temples,  shrines  and  idols  than   I   ever  care  to 


380  Around  the  World. 

see  again  ;  I  had  viewed  her  many  attractions  with 
interest  and  pleasure,  had  experienced  the  kindness 
and  courtly  demeanor  of  her  people,  and  been 
treated  with  the  highest  consideration  and  respect, 
according  to  their  custom.  An  unknown  white  man 
traveling  through  her  interior  for  hundreds  of  miles, 
and  left  to  the  mercy  of  the  natives,  instead  of 
being  robbed  and  plundered,  I  had  been  treated  as 
a  nobleman  of  high  birth  ;  my  passport  as  a  citizen 
of  the  United  States  entitled  me  to  the  highest 
consideration;  and,  in  conclusion,  I  will  say  of  Japan, 
that,  with  her  mountains  of  picturesque  scenery 
and  inexhaustible  mineral  wealth,  with  her  exten- 
sive timber  regions,  with  her  valleys  and  hills  culti- 
vated to  all  varieties  of  tropical  products,  with  her 
beautiful  seas  and  lakes  and  bays  alive  with  fish  of 
all  kinds,  with  her  extensive  seaboard  and  secure 
harbors,  giving  her  greater  commercial  advantages 
than  any  other  country  in  Asia, — with  all  these 
natural  advantages,  and  with  a  healthy,  happy,  in- 
dustrious and  ambitious  people,  she  can  not  fail  to 
soon  take  her  place  among  the  civilized  nations  of 
the  world. 

I  found  her  people  to  be  as  honest  as  the  day  is 
long  ;  courteous,  kind,  polite  and  good  humored  ; 
fond  of  joking,  great  imitators,  and  anxious  to 
acquire  knowledge.  I  enjoyed  my  visit  among 
them  more  than  that  among  any  other  people  on 
my  tour   around   the  world,  and   it  is   with   many 


Correspondence.  381 

regrets  that  I  am  now  obliged  to  bid  good-bye  to 
the  Mikado's  empire. 

The  following  was  written  at  Yokohama  by 
Mr.  Johnson  to  the  Stockton,  Cal.,  Independent : 

LETTER   FROM  JAPAN. 

Yokohama,  japan,  Jan.  18,  i836. 

For  several  weeks  past  I  have  traveled  extensively  in  the  interior  and  on 
the  sea-coast  of  Japan.  Of  all  the  countries  visited  in  my  journey  around 
the  world,  I  have  found  Japan  the  most  interesting.  I  have  just  visited 
Nikko,  about  eighty  miles  north  of  Tokio,  the  headquarters  of  the  Buddhist 
and  Shinto  sects,  the  two  prevailing  religions  of  Japan.  The  temples  of 
Nikko  have  a  group  of  picturesque  mountains  for  background.  There  are 
here,  in  all,  forty-seven  stately  and  costly  temples,  ornamented  with  bronze 
and  engraved  images,  and  objects  representing  the  Japanese  gods.  Thou- 
sands of  tons  of  bronze  must  have  been  used  in  constructing  these  imposing 
temples  and  pagodas.  Among  other  grand  attractions  in  and  around  Nikko 
are  seven  waterfalls  in  streams  that  rush  from  the  snow-clad  mountains  a 
short  distance  from  the  city.  In  other  places  in  Japan,  like  Tokio,  Osaka 
and  Kioto,  I  have  seen  grand  temples,  pagodas  and  castles  and  interesting 
curiosities  in  architecture;  but  since  I  left  Rome  I  have  never  seen  so  many 
beautiful  relics,  temples  and  tombs  as  at  Nikko.  This  place  is,  in  fact, 
called  the  Rome  of  Japan. 

Nikko  is  ninety-five  miles  from  Yokohama,  and  on  the  trip  from  the  last- 
named  place  I  first  took  the  cars  to  Utsonomaya,  a  distance  of  seventy- seven 
miles.  There  I  hired  two  coolies  with  "  jinrikishias  "  for  myself  and  guide, 
to  convey  us  the  remaining  distance  to  Nikko.  That  was  a  curious  turn-out 
for  a  Stanislaus  farmer  to  ride  in, — a  little  two-wheeled  concern  with  two 
half-naked  coolies  for  a  tandem  team.  I  have,  however,  become  an  expert 
in  the  "  jinrikishia"  and  traveling  chair  in  Japan  and  China.  I  have  sent  you 
by  this  mail  a  photograph,  taken  for  me  while  sitting  in  the  queer  two-wheeled 
vehicle  behind  my  coolie  team. 

On  this  tour  I  was  supplied  with  a  passport  from  the  American  consul, 
and  I  found  the  document  as  useful  as  coin.  Whenever  I  entered  a  Jap- 
anese hotel  at  night,  I  was  met  at  the  door  by  the  host  or  hostess,  who  made 
salutations  by  bowing  almost  to  the  floor.  After  my  shoes  were  taken  off  I 
was  invited  up-stairs,  and  shown  to  the  best  room,  which  was  bare  of  furni- 
ture. I  was  politely  invited  to  squat  on  the  floor  on  a  white  mat,  and  then  a 
small  vessel  of  hot  coals  was  left  at  my  feet.     Next  came  a  servant  giil  with 


382  Around  the  World. 

a  cup  of  tea'served  on  a  small  red  wooden  tray.  The  fault  found  with  the 
cup  of  tea  was  that  it  was  too  small,  containing  not  over  four  thimblefuls. 
Half  an  hour  later  supper  was  served,  consisting  of  half-boiled  rice  in  a 
vessel  the  size  of  a  peck  measure,  vegetables,  warm  Japanese  brandy  and 
raw  fish,  with  two  chop-sticks  to  gather  in  the  rice.  Two  blushing  maidens 
stood  opposite  the  rice  dish,  and  they  amused  themselves  watching  my  poor 
headway  with  chop-sticks.  Fortunately,  I  had  ample  time  to  catch  all  the 
rice  that  my  appetite  called  for,  and  I  have  now  learned  to  be  quite  handy 
with  the  sticks.  The  smell  of  the  vegetables,  raw  fish  and  brandy,  was 
enough  for  me,  and  satisfied  my  appetite  without  tasting  these  dainty  Japan- 
ese dishes.  At  bed-time  two  quilts  were  placed  on  the  floor,  one  of  them 
having  long  sleeves  to  put  one's  arms  into  before  lying  down  flat  on  the  mat. 
For  a  pillow  a  wooden  block  was  furnished,  hollowed  out  to  fit  the  neck,  and 
a  vessel  with  hot  coals  was  left  near  my  head  to  keep  me  warm  through  the 
night.      In  this  position  I  was  ready  to  sleep. 

The  whole  country  is  cultivated  into  gardens  instead  of  farms,  and  I  can 
now  understand  how  37,000,000  of  people  live  in  a  country  smaller  than 
England.  The  Inland  Sea  of  Japan  for  240  miles  is  the  most  beautiful 
sheet  of  water  I  have  seen  in  my  whole  tour. 

I  have  now  traveled   about   45,000   miles,  through    America,    Europe, 

Africa,  Australia,  India,  China,  Japan,  and  many  islands,  in  the  journey;  and 

in  a  few  days  I  will  start  for  the  Sandwich  Islands,  the  last  country  to  visit 

before  I  have  made  my  trip  around  the  world. 

Osmun  Johnson. 


Eastward  Across  the  Pacific.  388 


CHAPTER   XX. 

HOMEWARD    BOUND    ACROSS    THE    PACIFIC,    VIA 

HONOLULU,   TO    SAN    FRANCISCO. 

On  the  9th  day  of  March  I  embarked  on  the 
four-masted  steamer  City  of  Peking  for  San  Fran- 
cisco, via  Honolulu.  This  vessel  is  the  largest 
American  vessel  afloat,  and  is  in  reality  a  floating 
palace  upon  the  Pacific  Ocean.  She  has  a  carrying 
capacity  of  5,500  tons.  Her  entire  length  is  425 
feet,  and  her  engines  are  of  800  horse-power,  con- 
suming forty-five  tons  of  coal  every  twenty-four 
hours.  It  took  a  small  army  of  servants  to  keep 
her  clean,  and  in  every  department  they  could  be 
seen  scrubbing  day  and  night.  The  cabin  fare  was 
good,  though  it  was  not  the  custom  to  serve  as 
many  lunches  as  they  do  on  the  English  steamers, 
on  which  eating  and  s1eeping  seem  to  be  the  main 
occupation  through  the  day  and  night. 

I  found  this  Trans-Pacific  steamer  as  comfortable 
and  well  kept  as  she  looked,  and  considered  myself 
very  fortunate  in  being  able  to  secure  such  accom- 
modations ;  for,  at  the  outset,  my  aim  had  been  to 
include  in  my  tour  of  the  world  as  many  countries 
as  possible,  even  though  I  should  be  obliged  to  go 


884  Around  the  World. 

out  of  my  way,  or  out  of  the  regular  course  of 
travel  for  hundreds  of  miles  or  more,  and  without 
regard  to  the  extra  time  employed  or  expense 
incurred. 

I  started  out  to  see  the  world,  and  I  wanted  to 
see  it.  An  opportunity  now  presented  itself  to  visit 
the  Sandwich  Islands,  —  an  opportunity  rarely 
afforded  the  tourist  on  leaving  Asia.  It  happened 
in  this  way  :  From  China  to  San  Francisco,  there 
are  two  regular  mail  lines,  the  Occidental  and 
Oriental,  neither  of  which  touch  at  Honolulu,  as 
the  distance  would  be  increased  500  miles  ;  but  on 
this  occasion  an  arrangement  had  been  made  by 
Claus  Spreckles,  the  Sandwich  Island  sugar  king, 
with  the  steamship  company,  to  carry  and  land 
for  him  900  Japanese  emigrants,  who  were  under  a 
three-years  contract  with  him  to  work  on  his  sugar 
plantations  on  the  islands. 

I  rejoiced  at  this  opportunity  of  visiting,  on  my 
homeward  journey,  another  interesting  country, 
and  hastily  took  advantage  of  it.  It  seemed  to  me 
that  Providence  had  favored  me  throughout  my 
whole  tour,  and  had  allowed  me  a  full  share  of  the 
world's  most  wonderful  sights.  I  had  been  per- 
mitted to  visit  two  more  countries  than  the  average 
tourist,  to  wit,  Australia  and  New  Zealand,  and 
now  the  Sandwich  Islands  were  to  be  added  to 
the  list. 

Having  secured  passage,  and  gone  aboard,  the 


Life  on  the  Peking.  385 

anchor  was  raised,  and  we  steamed  out  of  the 
beautiful  harbor  of  Yokohama.  The  snow-clad 
peak,  Fusiyama,  the  last  visible  object  in  the 
Mikado's  empire,  soon  faded  from  our  view,  and 
we  were  fairly  on  our  way  across  the  Pacific. 

Besides  the  900  emigrants  on  board,  there  were 
passengers  of  every  grade  and  rank, — lords  and 
millionaires,  Oriental  diplomates  and  ministers  to 
Washington  ;  missionaries,  worn  out,  and  returning 
home  ;  students  from  various  parts  of  Asia  going 
to  attend  institutions  of  learning  in  America, — all 
of  whom  contributed  their  talents  and  experience 
toward  making  the  voyage  one  of  interest  and 
pleasure.  The  cargo  consisted  of  tea,  porcelain 
and  silk. 

The  distance  from  Yokohama  to  Honolulu  is 
3,400  miles.  Besides  the  huge  engines  of  the  ves- 
sel, every  mast  carried  sails,  contributing,  with 
favorable  winds,  fifty  miles  a  day  to  her  speed, 
which  ordinarily  averaged  from  ten  to  twelve  knots 
an  hour,  according  to  the  favors  of  the  breeze. 
The  first  half  of  this  voyage  was  stormy,  with  pre- 
vailing head  winds,  and  we  encountered  a  gale 
which  maintained  its  fury  for  twenty-four  hours, 
raging  as  furiously  as  any  typhoon  I  had  experi- 
enced in  the  China  Sea.  It  is  not  often  that  the 
Pacific  belies  its  name  ;  but  on  this  occasion  its 
waves  rolled  mountains  high,  often  enveloping  the 
whole  ship  from  stem  to  stern.  The  storm  did  not 
35 


386  Around  the  World. 

last  long,  but  abated  with  the  change  of  latitude, 
not  a  great  distance  from  Honolulu.  The  Pacific 
again  became  pacific,  and  the  remainder  of  the 
passage  was  pleasant  and  agreeable.  The  route 
over  this  portion  of  the  ocean  being  clear  of 
islands  and  other  objects,  as  well  as  of  fog,  there 
is  less  danger  of  collision  than  on  the  Atlantic 
side,  where  accidents  are  of  frequent  occurrence. 

There  was  much  more  life  aboard  this  steamer 
than  on  any  other  on  which  I  had  sailed,  on 
account  of  the  large  number  and  great  diversity 
of  the  passengers.  The  first  three  days  out,  the 
Japanese  emigrants  were  nearly  all  sea-sick;  but, 
after  they  had  recovered  from  this  unpleasantness, 
the  scenes  and  occurrences  among  them  were  very 
interesting,  especially  at  meal  times,  when  these 
900  half-naked  Orients  could  be  seen  rushing  and 
scrambling  for  their  places  with  chop-sticks  in 
hand.  Instead  of  "feeding  the  fishes,"  as  at  the 
beginning  of  the  voyage,  they  were  now  feeding 
themselves,  which  change  soon  began  to  tell  on  the 
rice  baskets,  as  they  gathered  in  basket  after 
basket  with  their  chop-sticks. 

Between  meals  they  would  amuse  themselves  by 
wrestling,  in  which  exercise  they  proved  themselves 
experts,  thoroughly  skilled  in  the  art,  and  displayed 
great  activity  and  strength.  One  of  the  novel 
features  of  their  mode  of  wrestling  is  that,  while 
engaged  in  the  exercise,  they  are  never  in  an  up- 


Honolulu.  387 

right  position,  but  squat  down  on  their  haunches, 
in  this  manner  throwing  their  bodies  forward  and 
resting  upon  their  hands  and  toes  when  grappling 
with  each  other.  The  tussle  ends  when  one  has 
forced  the  other  outside  the  ring  made  by  them  at 
the  beginning.  These  happy  Japs  contributed 
largely  to  our  amusement  during  these  monotonous 
days  in  mid-ocean. 

On  the  thirteenth  day  out  from  Yokohama,  we 
sighted  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  on  the  same  day 
cast  anchor  in  Honolulu.  This  shore  presented  an 
agreeable  change  of  scene  after  being  at  sea  nearly 
two  weeks,  with  naught  but  the  wide  ocean  in  view 
and  the  salt  air  for  a  tonic.  After  the  officers  of 
the  port  had  boarded  our  vessel  and  gone  through 
the  usual  formalities  according  to  law,  the  passengers 
were  put  ashore  in  a  steam  tender,  and  the  vessel 
remained  in  port  thirty-eight  hours  to  discharge 
her  cargo  and  leave  the  Japanese  emigrants.  This 
brief  time  was  occupied  to  a  good  advantage  in 
taking  in  the  sights  of  this  tropical  city  and  its 
nearest  surroundings. 

Honolulu  is  the  capital  of  the  island  group,  and 
the  residence  of  King  Kalakaua,  the  reigning  mon- 
arch. It  has  a  population  of  about  15,000,  many 
of  whom  are  foreigners,  consisting  of  Americans, 
Germans,  English  and  Chinese,  and  the  business  is 
almost  entirely  carried  on  by  foreign  houses.  It  is 
a    lovely    city,  the   tropical    shade   trees   and    the 


388  Around  the  World. 

luxuriant  foliage  in  the  gardens  and  climbing  about 
the  verandas  of  the  houses,  adding  much  to  its 
beauty  and  attractiveness.  It  is  built  on  a  gentle 
incline  at  the  mouth  of  the  Valley  of  Nuuanu,  and 
has  for  its  background  a  long  range  of  picturesque 
hills,  of  the  most  peculiar  shape. 

Though  favored  by  nature  in  many  ways,  Hono- 
lulu has  one  of  the  poorest  harbors  which  I  visited. 
This  is  on  account  of  the  long  stretch  of  barren 
coral  reefs,  which  prevent  heavily  laden  vessels  from 
entering.  They  are  generally  anchored  a  mile  from 
shore,  and  the  cargo  and  passengers  are  transported 
in  barges  and  tenders.  It  is  a  busy  and  prosperous 
place,  owing  its  prosperity  largely  to  enterprising 
Americans,  and  Claus  Spreckles,  the  sugar  king,  is 
looked  upon  as  a  power  in  the  land. 

The  briefest  description  of  these  islands  would 
be  to  designate  them  as  an  interesting  chain  of 
mountains  in  the  Pacific  Ocean.  In  all  there  are 
thirteen,  eight  of  which  are  inhabited,  and  the 
remainder  uninhabited.  All  are  mountainous,  and 
chiefly  of  volcanic  formation,  occupying  an  area  of 
7,628  square  miles.  The  entire  population  of  the 
group  amounts  to  about  85,000. 

Hawaii,  the  largest  of  these  islands,  has  an  area 
double  that  of  all  the  rest  combined.  It  contains 
four  volcanic  mountains,  the  most  interesting  of 
which  is  Mauna  Loa,  13,600  feet  in  height,  with  a 
crater  8,000  feet  in   diameter,  and  at  the  present 


The  Fate  of  Captain  Cook.  389 

time  very  active.  Lacjt  of  time  prevented  me 
from  visiting  it. 

These  islands  were  discovered  by  Captain  Cook, 
in  1778,  over  100  years  ago.  He  found  the 
inhabitants  a  fierce  and  warlike  people,  many  of 
them  cannibals.  He  was  at  first  received  with  a 
friendly  spirit,  but  afterward  met  his  death  at  the 
hands  of  a  native.  Much  progress  has  been  made 
by  the  people  since  that  time  through  missionaries, 
and  their  intercourse  with  other  nations  ;  and  they 
have  become  Christianized  and  civilized.  Just 
newly  from  Oriental  cities  and  idolatrous  scenes 
and  customs,  as  I  was,  the  first  sight  of  Western 
civilization  afforded  a  striking  contrast ;  the  very 
air  seemed  different,  and  I  breathed  freer. 

Lying  in  the  tropics,  between  18  deg.  54  min. 
and  22  deg.  2  min.  north  latitude,  and  155  deg.  and 
161  deg.  west  longitude,  these  islands  have  a  most 
salubrious  climate,  and  the  temperature  is  very 
even  the  year  around.  Frost  is  unknown,  and 
tropical  fruits  of  all  kinds  grow  in  profusion. 
Many  consumptives  and  invalids  from  all  countries 
visit  these  islands,  and  experience  great  relief. 
Honolulu  and  Naples  have  similar  climates  and 
similar  attractions,  and  my  impressions  were  that 
these  two  places  would  be  the  loveliest  winter 
resorts  in  the  world,  excepting  our  own  coast 
resorts,  such  as  Monterey,  Santa  Barbara,  San 
Luis  Obispo,  Los  Angeles  and  San  Diego. 


390  Around  the  World. 

We  barely  had  time  to  drive  to  the  Sugar  Bluff. 
The  Pali  and  sugar  plantations  are  the  first  places 
generally  visited  by  tourists,  and  the  productions 
of  the  islands  are  as  sweet  as  the  climate. 

The  following  is  the  last  letter  of  this  tour, 
written  for  publication.  It  was  mailed  at  Honolulu 
to  the  Modesto  Herald. 

LETTER   FROM    HONOLULU. 

Honolulu,  March,  1886. 

Editor  Herald: — As  I  have  kept  you  posted  about  my  movements 
from  all  the  principal  points  in  the  European  and  Oriental  world,  I  will  now 
send  you  my  last  letter  of  travel,  from  the  Sandwich  Islands,  which  is  the 
last  point  I  will  touch  in  my  journey  around  the  world.  The  Sandwich 
Islands  are  3,400  miles  from  Yokohama,  the  last  point  I  visited  in  Asia,  and 
from  that  place  we  brought  a  cargo  of  tea,  silk  and  porcelain  ;  also  900  Jap- 
anese emigrants,  who  came  under  contract  to  work  on  the  Spreckles  sugar 
plantation  for  the  next  three  years. 

The  first  half  of  the  trip  from  Yokohama  to  Honolulu  was  a  stormy  one. 
It  is  not  often  the  Pacific  belies  its  name,  but  our  four-masted  iron  steamer 
Peking  was  partly  covered  up  in  the  swells  of  the  sea,  that  were  moving  like 
rolling  mountains  ;  but  as  we  neared  Honolulu  and  made  a  change  of  lati- 
tude and  longitude,  the  storm  abated,  and  the  Pacific  was  again  pacific,  and 
we  enjoyed  a  pleasant  passage  with  a  calm  sea. 

Honolulu  is  a  busy  and  interesting  city,  made  so  by  American  enterprise, 
and  the  Sandwich  Islands  is  one  of  the  smallest  countries  I  have  visited  in 
my  whole  tour  ;  but  it  is  the  sweetest  one,  as  the  sugar  fields  extend  in  every 
direction. 

I  have  yet  to  breathe  the  air  of  the  salt  sea  for  over  2,200  miles  before  I 
ha\&e  accomplished  the  trip  around  the  world.  As  I  expect  to  see  you  in 
Modesto  at  an  early  day,  I  will  not  trouble  any  further  with  a  long  letter. 

Yours  truly,  Osmun  Johnson. 

After  our  drive  through  the  country,  we  returned 
to  Honolulu,  and  re-embarked  on  the  steamer, 
which  was  now  getting  ready  to  sail.      We  had 


Nearing  the  California  Shore.  391 

2,200  miles  more  between  here  and  San  Francisco, 
and  I  was  becoming  anxious  to  start  toward  home. 
Just  as  we  were  about  to  leave  the  harbor,  a  sad 
accident  occurred  within  one  hundred  yards  of 
where  we  lay.  One  of  the  boilers  of  the  steamer 
Mariposa,  belonging  to  the  Spreckles  sugar  line, 
plying  between  San  Francisco  and  Australia, 
exploded  just  as  she  was  steaming  out  of  the 
harbor,  causing  the  death  of  three  of  her  passen- 
gers, and  wounding  many  more.  I  was  an  eye- 
witness to  this  sad  scene,  and  almost  within  speak- 
ing distance.  This  steamer  was  said  to  be  the 
fastest  running-  between  Australia  and  San  Fran- 
cisco,  and  over-crowding  with  passengers  and 
freight  caused  the  accident. 

Shortly  after  this  accident,  we  steamed  out,  home- 
ward bound  ;  the  panoramic  ranges  of  mountains 
along  the  coast  of  the  islands,  covered  with  tropical 
foliage,  were  soon  lost  to  view,  and  balmy  breezes 
and  a  calm  sea  exchanged  for  blustering  winds  and 
a  boisterous  ocean. 

We  were  now  speeding  away  in  the  channels  of 
American  commerce,  and  stately  ships  of  modern 
construction  were  continually  hovering  in  sight, 
presenting  quite  a  contrast  to  the  clumsy  hulks 
left  behind  in  the  Oriental  seas.  This  voyage  was 
devoid  of  anything  of  special  interest  or  worthy 
of  mention.  On  the  7th  of  March,  after  a  voy- 
age of  eight  days,  we  neared  the  California  shore ; 


(392) 


Return  Through  the  Golden  Gate.  393 


"S 


the  seal  rocks,  the  Cliff  House  and  other  familiar 
objects  came  in  sight ;  and  we  soon  entered  the 
Golden  Gate,  through  whose  portals  I  had  gone 
out  less  than  a  year  before  in  starting  on  my  journey 
around  the  world. 

The  cheerful  thoughts  which  rushed  through  my 
brain,  and  the  peculiar  feelings  of  gladness  and  joy 
on  this  memorable  day,  can  not  be  described. 
Suffice  it  to  say,  that  there  were  thoughts  of  con- 
gratulation that  this  perilous  circuit  of  50,000  miles 
around  the.  earth  had  been  successfully  accomplished, 
and  that  in  less  than  one  year's  time ;  and  there 
were  also  thoughts  of  gratitude  to  that  kind  Provi- 
dence by  whose  care  and  favor  I  had  been  preserved 
from  all  danger  and  harm,  and  had  thus  been  safely 
brought  to  my  journey's  end. 

Within  this  short  space  of  time  the  writer  had 
been  constantly  in  motion  on  land  and  water  ;  had 
traveled  on  the  most  important  and  longest  railways 
in  the  world,  both  above  ground  and  underground  ; 
had  sailed  on  thirteen  of  the  largest  steamers  afloat, 
crossed  the  stormiest  oceans  and  the  calmest  seas, 
sported  on  the  most  attractive  lakes,  rivers,  bays 
and  straits  ;  and  had  been  through  the  longest  tun- 
nels, including  that  under  the  River  Thames  and 
the  great  St.  Gothard  :  he  had  traveled  by  nearly 
every  method  of  locomotion  known  to  man, — in 
Norway  using  the  cariole,  in  Egypt  the  camel, 
in   India  the  elephant,  in   Ceylon   the  buffalo,  in 


894  Around  the  World. 

Venice  the  gondola,  in  Australia  the  two-wheeled 
hansom,  in  China  the  sedan  chair,  in  Japan  the 
two-wheeled  jinrikishia  :  he  had  visited  the  largest 
cities,  seen  the  greatest  of  the  world's  wonders,  had 
drank  from  the  cup  of  Nature,  and  fed  upon  the 
beauties  of  art ;  had  seen  strange  people  and  strange 
customs,  heard  strange  voices  and  strange  sounds, 
and  had  now  returned  to  his  own  country  and  home 
a  wiser  and  a  wealthier  man, — wiser  because  of  the 
great  amount  of  knowledge  and  experience  obtained, 
and  wealthier  because  wiser. 

If,  dear  reader,  the  writer  has  in  these  pages  been 
able  to  interest  you  with  a  description,  brief  though 
it  may  be,  of  his  experiences  and  observations  in 
his  journey  around  the  world,  he  will,  he  assures 
you,  feel  duly  compensated  for  the  time  and  expense 
required  in  the  publication  of  this  volume;  and,  if 
there  is  therein  contained  that  which  may  prove  of 
service  to  the  future  traveler,  the  writer  will  heartily 
rejoice  in  that  he  has  been  able  to  contribute  some- 
thing, small  though  it  may  be,  for  the  benefit  and 
instruction  of  his  fellow-man. 


APPENDIX. 


It  is  deemed  appropriate  to  quote,  in  an  Appendix  to  this 
narrative,  extracts  containing  kind  remarks  and  favorable 
mention  of  the  local  press,  to  the  editors  of  which  the  writer 
has  been  known  for  over  half  a  score  of  years,  and  whose 
favors  he  gratefully  appreciates  and  hereby  acknowledges. 

There  will  also  be  added  letters,  not  elsewhere  appearing  in 
this  book,  written  by  the  busy  traveler  to  the  home  papers 
from  various  points  abroad. 


FROM  THE  MODESTO,  CAL.,  "HERALD,"  APRIL,   18S6. 

Mr.  Osmun  Johnson,  who  has  been  absent  from  Stanislaus  County  on  a 
tour  through  the  principal  countries  on  the  globe,  returned  home  on  Fri- 
day evening.  His  brief  letters  in  the  Herald,  from  various  points  on  his 
travels,  show  that  he  is  a  man  of  observation,  and  that  he  notes  things  dif- 
ferently from  most  travelers.  His  last  letter,  written  at  Honolulu,  appears 
in  this  paper,  and  now  we  all  welcome  him  safely  on  American  soil.  His 
travels  have  been  in  all  countries,  England,  Ireland,  Scotland,  France,  Ger- 
many, Switzerland,  Spain,  Turkey,  Russia,  Greece,  Sweden,  Denmark,  Nor- 
way, Italy,  Egypt,  India,  Australia,  Japan,  China,  Africa,  and  the  Sand- 
wich Islands.  He  arrived  in  San  Francisco  on  Thursday  last,  and  thinks 
California  best  of  all. 


FROM  THE  "STANISLAUS  NEWS,"  APRIL  5,   1886. 

Mr.  Osmun  Johnson,  a  respected  citizen  of  Stanislaus  County,  returned 
here  last  evening  from  an  extended  tour  around  the  world,  having  during  the 
time  traveled  over  50,000  miles,  and  visited  all  the  different  countries  and 
the  principal  cities  and  places  of  note  in  each  one.  Mr.  Johnson  brings 
many  curiosities  with  him;  and,  being  a  man  possessed  of  excellent  memory, 

(395) 


396  Appendix. 


he  tells  many  interesting  stories  of  his  travels.  Among  some  of  the  souvenirs 
that  he  has  in  his  possession,  are  the  photographs  of  many  of  the  nobility  of 
the  different  countries, —  Gladstone,  Prince  of  Wales  and  family,  the  Czar  of 
Russia,  Garibaldi,  the  King  and  Queen  of  Japan,  and  various  others, — the 
most  of  whom  he  had  the  honor  of  seeing.  He  also  collected  specimens  of 
all  the  foreign  coins,  and  many  other  little  trinkets  too  numerous  to  mention. 
One  can  not  spend  an  hour  more  pleasantly  than  by  listening  to  Mr.  Johnson 
relate  some  of  the  details  of  his  tour. 


FROM  THE  OAKDALE,  CAL.,   "GRAPHIC,"  MAY  10,  1887. 

Among  the  visitors  to  Oakdale  last  Saturday  was  Mr.  Osmun  Johnson,  a 
farmer  living  some  eight  miles  from  Modesto.  Within  the  year  Mr.  John- 
son has  traveled  extensively  in  the  United  States,  in  all  the  countries  of 
Europe,  in  Egypt,  India,  Australia,  China,  Japan  and  the  Sandwich  Islands. 
He  kindly  showed  a  few  friends  some  pictures,  coins  and  other  mementoes  of 
his  journeyings  in  far  countries.  Mr.  Johnson  is  writing  an  account  of  his 
tour  around  the  world,  which  he  will  give  to  the  public  by  and  by.  We 
have  no  doubt  it  will  be  original  and  interesting.  Mr.  Johnson  has  a  farm 
of  some  2,000  acres,  which  he  cultivates  mainly  in  wheat,  and  has  a  number 
of  blooded  horses.  He  is  a  practical  man,  His  observations  abroad  .will  no 
doubt  have  a  direct  bearing  upon  the  even-day  life  of  people,  that  can  be 
understood  and  appreciated  by  his  neighbors  of  Stanislaus  and  San  Joaquin 
Counties. 

FROM  THE  STOCKTON,  CAL.,  "  INDEPENDENT,"  APRIL,  1886. 

Osmun  Johnson,  of  Stanislaus  County,  who  started  in  July  last  on  a  trip 
around  the  world,  was  in  Stockton  a  few  days  ago.  His  travels  have  been 
in  all  countries,— England,  Ireland,  Scotland,  France,  Germany,  Switzerland, 
Spain,  Turkey,  Russia,  Greece,  Sweden,  Denmark,  Norway,  Italy,  Egypt, 
India,  Australia,  Japan,  China,  Africa  and  the  Sandwich  Islands. 


FROM  THE  MODESTO,  CAL,   "HERALD." 

We  give,  this  week,  another  letter  from^our  European  correspondent, 
Osmun  Johnson.  This  time  he  dates  his  letter  from  Rome,  and  gives  a 
lively  history  of  his  travels  in  the  German  States,  Denmark,  Sweden,  Nor- 
way and  Austria.  He  is  now  doing  Italy,  and  will  sail  from  thence  to  Tur- 
key and  Egypt,  where  he  will  again  write  us.  We  return  thanks  to  him  for 
a  photograph  of  the  Pope,  and  a  little  book  of  photographic  scenes  of  the 


Appendix.  397 

most  attractive  buildings  and  places  of  interest  in  the  "  Eternal  City."  The 
people  of  Stanislaus  will  read  with  interest  what  their  representative  farmer 
has  to  say  about  the  foreign  countries  over  which  he  travels. 


LETTER    FROM    JAPAN,    PUBLISHED    IN    THE     KILBOURN 
CITY,  WIS.',  "  MIRROR-GAZETTE,"  FEB.  25,  18S6. 

The  following  letter  was  written  to  L.  F.  Anderson,  near  Kilbourn,  by 
Osmun  Johnson,  now  traveling  in  Japan.  Mr.  Johnson  lived  here  with  his 
father  about  twenty-six  years  ago,  going  to  California,  where  he  has  accumu- 
lated a  fortune  in  farming.  He  is  now  making  a  tour  of  the  world.  Mr. 
Anderson  showed  us  a  large  photo  of  Mr.  Johnson  seated  in  a  Japanese 
vehicle,  the  motive  power  being  two  Japs,  illustrating  the  style  in  which  he 

travels. 

Yokohama,  Japan,  Jan.  20,  1S86. 
Friend  Lafayette: — I  am  now  traveling  in  Japan,  the  most  interest- 
ing country  on  the  globe.  I  am  i.Soo  miles  nearer  home  than  when  I 
wrote  you  the  last  letter  from  China.  In  Japan  I  have  been  sight-seeing 
extensively  from  the  mountains  to  the  sea.  From  here  I  will  sail  in  a  few 
days  to  Honolulu  and  to  the  Sandwich  Islands,  the  last  country  I  will 
visit  before  I  have  accomplished  the  tour  around  the  world.  I  expect  to 
anchor  in  San  Francisco  the  25th  of  February,  which  will  make  my  travels 
about  50,000  miles  in  all,  including  America,  Europe,  Asia  and  Africa,  and 
Australia.  And  I  have  found  the  trip  to  be  interesting  as  well  as  long.  I 
have  seen  the  largest  mountains,  the  largest  rivers  and  waterfalls,  the  largest 
oceans  and  inland  seas  on  the  globe,  and  have  been  visiting  all  the  ancient 
images  representing  the  heathen  gods.  I  have  seen,  in  India,  China  and 
Japan,  thousands  of  ancient  ruins,  relics  and  religious  curiosities.  Being  a 
stranger  in  strange  lands,  I  have  enjoyed  the  tour  to  the  greatest  satisfac- 
tion among  the  heathen  as  well  as  the  Christian  nations,  and  the  information 
I  have  gained  in  this  tour  among  all  the  different  people  on  the  earth,  of  their 
manners,  customs  and  costumes,  could  not  be  exchanged  for  land  or  coin. 
I  have  just  been  visiting  Nikko,  one  hundred  miles  north  of  Japan,  the  most 
interesting  point  in  the  whole  country.  There  are  forty-seven  temples, 
stately  and  costly,  ornamented  with  glittering  bronze  and  brass,  and  immensely 
large  images  representing  the  heathen  gods.  In  China  and  India  I  have 
been  traveling  largely  in  the  sedan  chair  carried  along  by  two  heathens;  but 
on  this  occasion  I  came  in  a  little  two-wheeled  concern  called  "  jinrikishia," 
which  was  drawn  by  two  half-naked  natives,  bowling  me  along  in 
good  style  at  the  rate  of  six  miles  an  hour.  In  the  night  at  the  hotels  there 
are  no  furniture  nor  seats;  but  I  had  to  sit  flat  on  the  floor  to  eat  my  rice  with 


308  Appendix. 

two  chop-sticks,  and  sleep  accordingly.  Together  with  this  I  will  send  you 
my  photograph  in  the  jinrikishia,  a  fair  sample  of  how  I  have  been  traveling 
in  Japan  and  China.  When  I  get  to  Sandwich  Islands,  which  will  be  the 
next  country  I  will  sail  to  from  Yokohama,  on  the  steamer  "  City  of  Peking," 
you  may  hear  from  me  again.  My  best  respects  to  all  relatives  and 
acquaintances.  From  your  wandering  friend, 

Osmun  Johnson. 


LETTER  FROM  HAMBURG  TO  THE  MODESTO 
"REPUBLICAN." 

Editor  Republican: — Since  I  landed  in  Europe  I  have  traveled  through 
Ireland,  England  and  on  the  Continent,  about  2,000  miles  ;  including 
France,  Bavaria,  Austria,  Bohemia,  Russia,  the  whole  German  Empire  and 
Switzerland.  I  will  only  have  time  to  name  a  few  of  the  leading  points  of 
interest.  In  Ireland  I  found  no  snakes,  but  the  Pats  appeared  to  be  numer- 
ous. In  London,  after  paying  my  respects  to  John  Bull,  Esq.,  I  rode  under 
its  five  million  of  inhabitants  on  the  underground  railway,  including  the 
River  Thames.  I  inspected  some  of  the  most  important  public  buildings  of 
London,  among  which  were  the  Exhibition  of  Inventions,  the  finest  in  the 
world  ;  the  Queen's  Palace,  the  Tower  of  London,  the  statue  of  the  Duke  of 
Wellington,  St.  Paul's  Church  (one  of  the  largest  in  the  world),  the  Parlia- 
ment House,  Crystal  Palace  and  Mark  Lane  Grain  Exchange.  In  Paris,  I 
visited  the  tomb  of  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  Place  de  la  Concorde,  the  Grand 
Opera  House  (the  largest  theatre  in  the  world)  and  the  Louvre.  The  men 
and  women  of  Paris  have  the  strange  custom  of  sitting  at  tables  placed 
on  the  sidewalks,  and  unconcernedly  sipping  their  wine,  while  thousands 
of  people  are  surging  around  them  on  every  side. 

The  main  attraction  in  Switzerland  is  the  lofty  mountains  and  the  huge 
glaciers.  Berne  is  not  a  large  city;  but  its  ancient  buildings  and  its  high 
mountains  make  the  place  interesting  to  tourists.  From  Switzerland  to 
Bavaria  was  but  a  step,  as  these  little  kingdoms  and  states  are  not  much 
larger  than  Stanislaus  County.  From  Bavaria  I  crossed  the  Alps  into  Aus- 
tria. For  about  100  miles  these  great  mountain  ranges  surpass  anything  I 
ever  saw  in  the  way  of  grand  scenery.  Vienna  is  the  finest  city  I  have  yet 
seen  in  Europe.  It  is  located  on  both  sides  of  the  Danube,  contains  over  a 
million  of  inhabitants,  and  is  a  great  manufacturing  centre.  I  inspected 
several  factories  here,  including  the  extensive  fan  factory  belonging  to  Mr. 
Grunbaum,  a  brother  of  our  Modesto  Grunbaum.  He  employs  300  opera- 
tives, men  and  women.  IL  exports  his  fans  to  all  paits  of  the  world.  Mr. 
Grunbaum  very  kindly  showed  me  over  the  city,  and  pointed  out  to  me  the 


Appendix.  399 

sights  of  Vienna.  From  Vienna  I  journeyed  to  Bohemia,  thence  to  Saxony. 
Dresden,  the  capital  of  Saxony,  has  a  population  of  about  100,000,  and  is 
the  finest  pleasure  resort  in  Europe.  It  is  like  Monterey,  in  California,  or 
Saratoga,  in  New  York.  There  I  met  with  people  from  every  part  of 
Europe  and  America,  from  an  English  lord  to  a  plain,  scientific  American. 
The  largest  church  in  Dresden  belongs  to  the  English  and  American 
residents. 

From  Dresden  to  Berlin  is  only  a  few  hours'  ride.  Berlin  is  about  the  size  of 
Vienna,  but  built  more  in  the  American  style  than  any  city  I  have  seen  in 
Europe.  The  streets  are  wide  and  airy,  the  architecture  is  modern,  and  the 
mansions  of  the  opulent  citizens  are  stately  and  tasty,  more  than  in  any  other 
city  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic.  There  is  a  marked  contrast  between  the 
broad  streets  of  Berlin  and  the  narrow,  uncomfortable  streets  of  London  and 
Paris.  A  noticeable  feature  of  this  country  is  the  small  farms.  They 
appear  like  door-yards  when  compared  with  California  farms.  Women  can 
be  seen  all  over  the  country,  working  in  the  fields.  No  farm  machinery  is 
to  be  seen  anywhere  in  this  country.  Main  strength  and  stupidity  seem  to 
be  the  motto  in  this  realm.  The  largest  team  I  have  seen  in  the  country 
was  a  spike  team  of  three  oxen  pulling  a  plow.  In  one  instance  I  saw  a 
woman  plowing  with  a  team  of  oxen,  also  another  woman  hauling  a  load  of 
hay  with  two  oxen. 

Since  I  have  been  traveling  in  Europe  neither  my  body  nor  brain  finds 
time  to  rest.  I  am  continually  in  motion.  In  cities  I  am  either  traveling  on 
tramways  under  ground,  or  on  elevated  railways  above  ground,  and  from  one 
motion  to  another.  I  have  to  study  new  coins  and  new  languages.  In 
England  it  was  shillings  and  pence  ;  in  France  it  was  francs  and  centimes  ;  in 
Austria  it  was  gulden  and  kreutzers  ;  in  Germany  it  is  marks  and  pfennigs. 
What  is  to  come  remains  to  be  seen.  When  I  get  to  the  dykes  of  Holland 
and  the  Nile  of  Egypt,  I  may  give  you  some  items  on  irrigation,  as  I  know 
you  are  so  deeply  interested  in  that  subject.  I  will  soon  leave  Hamburg  for 
Northern  Europe,  thence  across  Russia  to  Constantinople. 

Your  well-wisher, 

Osmun  Johnson. 


LETTER  FROM  EGYPT  TO  THE  MODESTO    "HERALD." 

In  my  last  letter,  sent  you  from  Rome,  I  had  scarcely  space  or  time  to  give 
more  than  a  faint  description  of  my  route  and  the  sights  which  presented 
themselves  in  Europe,  and,  as  I  have  been  in  all  the  leading  cities  in  Europe, 
and  the  extreme  length  of  sunny  Italy,  I  must  not  omit  giving  a  brief 
account  of    Naples,  the   most  beautiful   city    in  the    world,   with    its    fine 


400  Appendix. 

climate  and  picturesque  views,  both  from  land  and  water.  Naples,  with  its 
600,000  inhabitants,  is  situated  on  the  Mediterranean  Sea,  or  Bay  of  Naples, 
and  it  is  the  most  attractive  city  I  have  approached  in  my  travels  either  in 
Europe  or  America.  It  has  the  most  interesting  surroundings.  Around  it 
are  Mount  Vesuvius — "the  burning  mountain,"  Capri,  Mount  Angelo, 
the  Grotto  and  Pompeii.  Mount  Vesuvius  was  in  volcanic  eruption, 
with  the  appearance  of  red  fire  and  of  sulphurous  vapors,  and  a  noise  under- 
ground. The  ashes,  stones  and  lava  thrown  out  through  this  vapor  were  the 
grandest  sight  I  ever  saw.  The  leading  attraction  in  the  city  is  the  National 
Museum,  consisting  of  large  statues  of  ancient  heroes,  sculpture,  paintings, 
specimens  of  ancient  coins,  in  gold  and  silver,  and  house  utensils  made  of 
Pompeii  material  since  seventy-nine  years  after  the  birth  of  Christ.  In  the 
gallery  were  many  rooms  in  which  were  oil  and  landscape  paintings,  and 
pictures  and  inscriptions  of  ever}'  kind  and  in  every  style.  There  are  also 
other  museums  in  the  city,  large  churches,  fine  public  buildings,  with  flowing 
fountains,  large  statues  on  horseback,  and  sculptures.  In  fact,  the  city  is 
crowded  with  curiosities  of  the  past  ages. 

Life  in  the  narrow  streets  of  Naples  is  interesting  to  sight-seers.  A 
large  portion  of  the  small  trade  and  shop-work  is  done  out-doors  on  the 
sidewalks,  such  as  shoemaking  and  tailoring.  They  have  many  small  boys 
in  their  employ  who  learn  trades,  and  the  streets  are  thronged  with  venders 
of  wares.  Dealers  in  produce  of  all  kinds  call  out  at  the  top  of  their  voices 
the  articles  they  have  for  sale,  which  makes  the  streets  of  Naples  lively  in 
appearance  and  produces  a  scene  of  confusion. 

From  Naples  I  resumed  my  journey  to  Brindisi,  sixteen  hours'  run  over 
a  level  and  interesting  country.  There  I  embarked  on  a  large  Mediterranean 
steamer  for  Egypt.  On  this  coast  the  sea  was  calm  as  a  mill-pond,  and  the 
trip  was  more  enjoyable  than  on  the  stormy  Atlantic,  the  Baltic  or  the  North 
Sea.  On  this  ship  were  tourists  from  many  parts  of  the  globe,  from  an 
English  nobleman  to  a  Stanislaus  farmer.  The  first  country  we 
approached  was  Greece.  We  passed  the  cities  of  Navarino,  Zante,  Candia 
and  Ghazzi,  and  this  was  the  last  glimpse  of  Europe.  I  am  now  in  the  land 
of  the  Pharaohs.  Here  I  have  seen  many  interesting  objects  for  a 
tourist  to  rest  his  eyes  on.  I  am  now  about  half-way  around  the  earth.  I 
have  yet  three  more  great  divisions  to  visit — Africa,  Asia  and  Australia — 
before  I  have  accomplished  my  journey  around  the  world. 

I  will  write  you  again,  from  Hong-Kong.  Osmun  Johnson. 


RARE  BOOK 
COLLECTION 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

AT 

CHAPEL  HILL 

Travel 

G440 

.J68 


